Bethany Beach firefly could be first lightning bug added to federal endangered species list

The Bethany Beach firefly is in danger of flickering out and becoming endangered, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said Monday. 

The firefly, found in coastal Delaware, Maryland and Virginia, is one of around 170 firefly species in the U.S. The species is already considered critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and the Fish and Wildlife Service said it's under consideration for listing under the Endangered Species Act.

It's the first firefly species to be considered for protections under the act, according to a Fish and Wildlife Service spokesperson. If the species is listed, then federal agencies will be required to ensure their actions are unlikely to jeopardize the Bethany Beach firefly.