Lights of the World Week 11: Synchronous Lightening Bugs

Photo by Radim Schreimer at https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Photinus_Carolinus_Fireflies.jpg

The Fall 2017 Lights of the World Fitness Challenge encourages participants to be physically active an average of at least 20 minutes/day.

Week 11, starting November 5 and ending November 11, features the Synchronous Fireflies (or Lightning Bugs as most of us southerners prefer to call them) of the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. Although difficult to predict exactly, the unusual light show displayed by these luminous beetles typically occurs for about two weeks beginning in late May through early June. The timing seems to depend on temperatures, soil moisture, and brightness of the moon.

The flash pattern of lightning bugs seem to help the males and females with mating. Males tend to fly and flash while females tend to stay stationary and flash. Fireflies may flash in waves and randomly; however, this particular species may begin to flash synchronously, all at the same time, in short bursts that end with abrupt dark periods.

If you want to travel west in our state of North Carolina to see this popular natural light show in person, make reservations and have your name added to the list early. A limited number of parking passes are distributed through a lottery each year.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105