The Bethany Beach firefly could be added to the Endangered Species Act list, the Washington Post reported.

If the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s proposal goes through to classify it as threatened, it would be the first time a firefly is added to the list.

The Bethany Beach fireflies emerge in late June along much of the East Coast, signaling the start of summer, the Post reported. It was discovered in 1949 in Bethany Beach, Delaware, and is distinguished by its black head marking and double flash of green light, the Post said.

The posposal, which was announced Monday, argues that climate change, light pollution, coastal development and other threats are “conspiring to degrade its delicate habitat and drive it closer to extinction,” according to the Post.

In the future, the Bethany Beach firefly might not be the only species affected.

Nearly one in three species in the United States and Canada may be threatened with extinction, the Post reported, according to a recent assessment by a group of entomologists.

In 2019, environmentalists petitioned to protect the Bethany Beach firefly, according to the Post. Adding the firefly to the Endangered Species Act list would make it illegal to harm or kill the firefly under most circumstances.

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, one of the groups behind the petition, has also asked Fish and Wildlife to protect four other firefly species, spanning from Florida to Arizona.

This recent proposal “could go a long way in protecting the Bethany Beach firefly’s habitat from a variety of threats,” Xerces biologist Richard Joyce told the Post.

Fewer fireflies are being seen every year, according to anecdotal reports, the Xerces Society said.

Based on assessments published on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of Threatened Species, one in three assessed North American fireflies may be at risk of extinction, the society reported.

Researchers found that 14% of the assessed species were categorized as threatened, but the Xerces Society said this number may be much higher since nearly half of the assessed species are data deficient.

“There is an urgent need to study firefly populations more closely to fully understand their plight and ensure conservation efforts are effective,” according to the Xerces Society.

Public comment will be taken on the proposal until Dec. 2 before it is finalized, the Post reported.