Georgia Wilderness Society
Synchronous Fireflies, Elkmont
Trip Report On Synchronous Firefly Trip to the Smokies- June 8-11, 2019
We switched dates and group campsites to be closer to the Parks Entomologist’s projection for the firefly mating period. Once those dates were made public in April, a bigger site closer to the projected period opened up. The weather was then projected to be between 85%-100% chance of thunderstorms each day, but the intrepid GWS-ites unanimously still wanted to go, weather be dammed. While there was rain & thunder showers every day, our well tarped camp site protected us, and there were plenty of periods of no rain to get in hikes on the Laurel Falls, Little River and Cucumber Gap Trails, as well as viewing the historic buildings.
The first night we lined up our chairs facing the woods and viewed the synchronous fireflies from our campsite, and it was exciting and mesmerizing. There are 19 different firefly species in the Smokies, so we saw others as well, higher up in the trees. The 2nd night we went back to the Little River Trailhead and joined the masses lined up in chairs facing the woods, and...it was absolutely fantastic, amazing and relaxing. It’s like watching a sky full of falling stars and a well decorated yard for Christmas all in blinking white lights, rolled together. The males hover above the ground and make six blinks then darkness. Then the females on the ground begin to respond by blinking. The males begin to blink in a horizontal wave.
Follow the links to two YouTubes for an example, if you wish.
Attendees: Joe and Jane Mangum, Tom and Holly Payne, Terry and Rosemary Ross, Curt and Irene Cole, Bernard and Genise Spenle (trip leader)
