Fireflies Light Up the Great Smoky Mountains in a Mesmerizing Natural Display

If you have seen anything of real-life miracles, then step into the United States and go see the Great Smoky Mountains. During summertime, thousands of fireflies come alive across these really ancient mountains with an attractive display while synchronizing their twinkling lights, putting the visiting population into a spellbound state.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park, straddling the border between Tennessee and North Carolina, encompasses the largest population of synchronous fireflies in the Western Hemisphere. Every June, they put up a light show for several weeks to attract mates by synchronously blinking their magic.

As dusk falls over the forest, fireflies fill the air and bathe the foliage in hundreds of points of light, which dance through the trees. It is a magical scene that becomes positively otherworldly. Hundreds of flickering points of light bathe the foliage every summer, filling the park with visitors from all parts of the world who visit to witness such phenomena, often described as one of Earth's most spectacular bioluminescent displays.

What is unique about the fireflies at the Great Smoky Mountains, however, is that they can synchronize their flash patterns. Whereas most firefly species flash their lights independently, these particular fireflies  have evolved to coordinate their lights into something that can only be likened to a wave of light pulsating through a forest.

It really is a unique thing to see—a light display of nature. Walking in the dark woods with sparkling fireflies all around, it gives one the feeling of the beauty and association with nature. It reminds us of the magnificence and complexity of our planet and of the preservation of fragile ecosystems so that future generations may also be able to enjoy them.