Fireflies in the Great Smoky Mountains light up at once - here's how to see them
The fireflies in this specific area of the Great Smoky Mountains are the only lightning bugs able to sync up their light patterns. (Photo/Getty)
It's almost that time of year again.
Synchronous photinus carolinus—say that five times fast. While the name of that firefly species may be hard to say, an early summer trip to see them just got a little easier. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park recently announced the viewing dates for 2017's week-long firefly season, where thousands of fireflies, also known as lightning bugs, sync up their light patterns. Though the Great Smoky Mountains play host to 19 species of fireflies, this specific type (the photinus carolinus) of lightning bug is the only breed of fireflies in the U.S. to be able to blink their bioluminescent butts all at the same time, making for quite the spectacle in the national park that straddles North Carolina and Tennessee.
Every year, thousands of visitors head to the park's Elkmont Campground in Tennessee to see the fireflies work their mating light magic. This year, visitors can stop by between May 30 and June 6if and only ifthey win the firefly lottery. Because of increased interest—and to protect the fireflies during their eight-day mating period—Great Smoky Mountains National Park introduced a shuttle bus in 2006, according to local news WLOS. The lottery on the National Park Service site, which begins April 28 and ends May 1, will offer 225 regular parking passes per day and just four RV passes per day. Visitors will park at the nearby Sugarlands Visitor Center and then hop on a shuttle bus for a 15-minute ride to the campground. Luckily, it won't cost you much (other than a tank of gas) to see the lightning bugs this summer, as the passes cost just $2.75 and the shuttle costs $1 per person.
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