It’s the season for spotting fireflies in some parts of the US, especially in the humid or damp areas that the winged beetles love. For fireflies themselves, it’s a season of love. They create these soft flashes of light as they search for a suitable mate. The glow is produced by a chemical reaction in a firefly’s abdomen. In addition to attracting a partner, the light is believed to deter potential predators by signaling that the insect’s chemical makeup may produce a foul taste or even be toxic. The fireflies in our homepage image were photographed with a long exposure in the Philippines, where fireflies are a popular tourist attraction. Some firefly species here and in other parts of Southeast Asia are known for their synchronized flashing, creating dramatic light shows in the dark.
A summertime light show
Today in History
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Lake Magadi, Kenya
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It’s oh so quiet
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Fiddlehead fern fronds
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Eurasian lynx
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Zelenci Nature Reserve, Slovenia
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A bison preserve
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Wildebeests in Maasai Mara, Kenya
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Falling for Rioja
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Paleontology meets art
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Tigh Mor Trossachs on Loch Achray, Scotland
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Climb a tree for wild animals and plants
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30 years after Exxon Valdez
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Happy Independence Day!
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Going with the floe
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Maritime forest on Cumberland Island, Georgia
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Remembering the Velvet Revolution
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Silvereyes in South Korea
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Sea Slug Day
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Pollinator Week
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San Blas Islands, Panama
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Great horned owl near Lake Tohopekaliga, Florida
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Dark skies over New Mexico
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A lush, green escape
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Happy holidays!
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National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day
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Shhh, the movie is about to start
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Art Basel Miami Beach
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Tour de France
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Going head-to-head with winter
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Saint Andrews Day