| If you like to seek out rare sights when you | | | | stark contrast to the bright flashes of the |
| travel, make plans to visit the Great Smoky | | | | thousands of fireflies that will surround you as you |
| Mountain National Park in mid-June. For there, each | | | | hike. You may also see the "wave" pattern of |
| year, you can take a nighttime hike and watch as | | | | flashing, as the fireflies flash in waves from hill to |
| millions of fireflies put on a show you'll never | | | | hill. One of the best places to view the show is on |
| forget. It isn't the masses of flickering flies that | | | | the Little River Trail, near the Elkmont area of the |
| begin to spark about 9:00 PM, although that is a | | | | park. Trail walkers must follow show etiquette - |
| pretty enough sight. What's unbelievable is that | | | | the glare of flashlights will upset the synchronous |
| these fireflies are synchronous -- they "fire" all | | | | flashing. Here's what you need to do: |
| together, as if on command. the show lasts about | | | | * Cover your flashlight with red or blue cellophane. |
| a half hour, and it's something you'll never forget. | | | | * Use your flashlight only when walking to your |
| The firefly show usually starts about June 8th and | | | | viewing spot. |
| continues for about ten days. You can check with | | | | * Point your flashlight at the ground. |
| the Smoky Mountain National Park for dates each | | | | * Turn off your flashlight when you find your |
| year, and get information about how to access | | | | viewing spot. |
| the viewing trails. June is the only time you can | | | | For many years, the only known synchronous |
| see this remarkable nature show. And the | | | | fireflies in the world were found in Malaysia. It was |
| Smokies are one of only two places in the world | | | | only in the early 1990's that one of the residents |
| that synchronous fireflies are known to exist. The | | | | of the Elkmont community noticed the evening |
| other colony of synchronous fireflies is in Malaysia, | | | | show, which you can see only about two weeks |
| in Southeast Asia. | | | | of the year. She convinced a professor at |
| No one knows why the beetles (fireflies are a | | | | Georgia Southern University to come take a look, |
| type of beetle) are able to flash in sync or even | | | | and the existence of the rare fireflies was finally |
| why they do. Of the many species of fireflies in | | | | documented in 1994. You'll have to travel a long |
| the park, only the Photinus Carolinus is | | | | way to see the other synchronous firefly colonies |
| synchronous. The show, which begins in earnest | | | | - they exist along the rivers in Kampong Kuantan, |
| about 9:30 PM, is amazing. The fireflies start | | | | Malaysia. No one knows why two colonies of |
| flashing at dark, but it takes a while for the | | | | Photinus Carolinus exist on opposite sides of the |
| synchronicity to happen - and then in about an | | | | earth. All I know is that in either location, you are |
| hour, the show is over. The abrupt darkness is a | | | | in for a wondrous sight! |
