Yes, Colorado has fireflies. And scientists want to learn more.

• "A lot of native Coloradans have never seen a firefly, don't even know they exist out here," Beth Kittrell, a volunteer for Fort Collins Natural Areas, told the Colorado Sun. The organization offers popular "Light Up the Night" tours each summer.

The intrigue: Scientists don't know how many fireflies live here, or much about their lifestyles.

• Butterfly Pavilion researchers just celebrated the first captivity breeding in the state.
• "At heart, I am fascinated by these creatures and want to understand them," says Orit Peleg, an associate professor at the University of Colorado's BioFrontiers Institute. "They are so beautiful and captivating."

Be smart: Lightning bugs, as they're often called, are actually beetles and not flies.

How to help: You can join in the research. Record your sightings through the Colorado Firefly Watch.