An amazing natural spectacle occurs only two weeks out of the year across the U.S., and you don't want to miss it.
It's called synchronous fireflies, and it involves lightning bugs synchronizing their flashing light patterns at night to create a stunning natural phenomenon.
While it's unknown why the fireflies synchronize their flashes, it does occur during mating season and may be a way for male fireflies to catch the attention of female fireflies.
Because temperatures and soil moisture play a role in when the synchronization happens, it's not exactly clear when it will occur. Park representatives at the Great Smoky Mountains, a location which is known to have these natural light shows, claim that peak dates are usually between the third week of May and third week of June.
If you want to see this display at the Great Smoky Mountains, you'll have to enter a lottery as there are many people who want to experience the same thing. The lottery will open Friday, April 26, on the Recreation.gov Firefly Event page and close on Monday, April 29.
Winners will be notified on May 10 and must pay a $25 reservation fee that will go toward the personnel needed to manage the viewing areas each night at the park.
You can also watch the synchronization of fireflies at South Carolina's Congaree National Park at the Fireflies Festival from May 10-27, the Allegheny National Forest, Buzzard Swamp recreation area and wildlife refuge, Minister Creek campground, Molly Branch Fireflies, Kelly Pines campground and Heart's Content National Scenic Area.
While park representatives can't guarantee when or where the synchronous firefly display will occur, many agree that the best times to see the show is between 9 p.m.-10 p.m. often near bogs, rivers or other bodies of water.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
