In general, most of the Eastern half of the United States gets fireflies. Fireflies generally live in suburban or rural areas; cities are so bright at night they can't see each other's lights to find a mate. The larva do best near water; they live in wet rotting wood and eat slugs and snails that live in moist areas. Adults hide in long grass or bushes during the day. So usually, the best places for fireflies are where a forest or field meets a water feature - swamp, stream, pond, etc. Written Sep 13, 2014.