The Great Smoky Mountains are unique for their illustrious scenery and diverse wildlife. With a rich cultural history and prime geographic location, it’s unsurprising that the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the U.S. year after year. But out of millions of park goers, only a few can view the synchronization of the firefly species Photinus Carolinus. Out of 42,000 applicants, only 120 vehicles get to drive to the mecca of synchronous fireflies, Elkmont Campground.
“This just happens to be one of the best places where some of the needs of the firefly are best met… this particular area of the Elkmont area has one of the highest concentrations of the synchronous fireflies,” said Emily Davis, public affairs specialist for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Photinus Carolinus is among 19 other firefly species in The Smokies and one of North America's few synchronous species. Synchronous fireflies range from the Southern Appalachians to the Alleghenies in Pennsylvania. Viewing events, such as the one at Elkmont, are held at various grounds where synchronous fireflies are found, such as at Congaree National Park and even in Japan.
“The flashing behavior is basically a reproductive display as a form of communication between the males and females. Males are the ones that are more obvious,” said Becky Nichols, an entomologist at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The males dominate the display, but females will emerge during peak nights when the population of males is at its highest. Park staff encourages visitors to stay on the designated paths, as females stay low to the ground and are dimmer than males.
Like any other beetle, fireflies undergo metamorphosis, and climate plays a big role in their emergence. “We know through various researchers what that [temperature] threshold accumulation is in order for them to go through pupation and emerge,” Nichols said.
Starting in March, Nichols logs temperature data at Elkmont every hour. She can predict when the fireflies will emerge after a certain accumulation of days over 50 degrees Fahrenheit, but predicting when the fireflies will synchronize is still tricky.
What’s even trickier is being selected to view the synchronization. “I wasn’t on the list. My friend won the lottery. I think she’s tried for a couple years,” said Ryan Hipps, a photographer at the event. Photographers like Hipps occupied the path with tripods set in place to capture long-exposure photos of the fireflies.
Once night falls upon Elkmont, capturing the event on camera is impossible without proper gear. Fireflies, stars, and red lights are the only things that are even visible to the eye. The mating ritual is delicate and relies on dark surroundings so the fireflies can see each other – just one of the reasons that parks limit entry. Any light source on site must have a red film over it to avoid disturbing the display.
“Folks love it… [they] describe it being magical and a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Boone Vandzura, new chief ranger at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The pale, blue twinkles that pulse through Elkmont’s forests are like watching the stars fall from the sky above. Elkmont’s fireflies are different compared to the usual firefly, not being as vibrant and yellow. Their lights are so subtle that you can miss one right in front of you, but when they synchronize, it’s impossible to miss them.
“It was amazing… it was enlightening… I don’t even know how to explain it,” said another viewer, David Hall, “My family right there has been talking about it for years and years.” The fireflies of Elkmont Campground are an entrancing sight, but that doesn’t mean you have to travel far to see nature in action. Fireflies can be found all across the Eastern United States and even in your backyard. Although most fireflies may not synchronize in an amazing fashion, the beauty of their anatomy can still be appreciated on any scale.
