Every year between late May and mid-June, synchronous fireflies gather into a sparkling, rhythmic light show in the forests of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As part of their two-week mating display, the female lightning bugs synchronize their flashes with nearby males so that every few seconds waves of light ripple through the woods. Of at least 19 species of fireflies that live in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Photinus carolinus is the only species with synchronous light displays, but they can also be found in Allegheny National Forest in Pennsylvania and Congaree National Park in South Carolina. Other species of synchronous fireflies are particularly prevalent in Southeast Asia.
By the light of the fireflies
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Celebrating Helsinki’s birthday at the Kiasma Museum
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Mount Rainier National Park
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Lace up your hiking boots for Mountain Day
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Ancient storage in the Grand Canyon
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Glowworm caves in Australia
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Labor Day
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National Frog Month
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And the skies filled with bats…
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A little bit of Wonderland in New York City
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Salmon migration in full swing
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Happy anniversary to the National Park Service!
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Happy Thanksgiving!
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Taking the scenic route
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Looking down on the Otter
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Tough turf
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Do spirits haunt the Gardens of Versailles?
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Cordouan Lighthouse, France
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National Moon Day
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FOR FOREST by Klaus Littmann
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A bridge that rocks
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Old man s whiskers growing wild
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World Photography Day
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World Lion Day
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Cousins Day
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Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel and the Louvre Pyramid
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Playa del Amor, Marietas Islands, Mexico
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The snows of Fuji
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Sweet! It’s maple syrup season
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Where is this wintry road?
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Sand, sun, and sk8ers