I wish there was a picture to go along with this post, but unfortunately, we don’t have any night vision lenses for the camera…
Every June, there are 2 weeks or so when the fireflies are very busy selecting their mates…of course they do this by flashing light from their cute little abdomens: this I’m quite sure you’ve all seen before. But on the property of Brampton Inn, with its tall trees and very little light pollution, the display of thousands (if not millions) of fireflies is quite spectacular.
Breathtaking in fact.
For the last several nights, around 10 pm, I have taken the short walk across the field behind Russell’s Cottage toward a clearing backed by tall trees. These trees look exactly like Christmas trees strung with a million blinking white lights. But it’s so dark that the trees all bleed together and then there are the blinking lights right in front of my face, so it almost seems like I’m standing inside a snow globe.
One guest said that it was like an “out of body experience,” and although I’ve never had one, I think I might have to agree!
I searched the Internet for a picture that might come close to what we’ve seen here, but had no luck. I did learn that fireflies are actually winged beetles, that there are over 2000 species of them, and that they live only for a few months.
One last thing: there are some species known as synchronous fireflies. This means their light display is coordinated or synchronized, as in they all flash at the same time and in the same pattern!! There is only one species in America that does this, and it lives in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. During its peak in June, the park has special trolleys to bring people in to view the display.
Meanwhile, if you live in an area where there are some trees and low ambient light, take a look outside tonight and you may just be transported….