Smoky mountains fireflies

This digital story (which may be behind a paywall) published on National Geographic magazine in June 2021. It received a Multimedia Single Work Gold Award from the Society of American Travel Writers Foundation.

It takes you to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, on an early summer evening at the peak of firefly mating display. Every year, for less than one month, males and females exchange light signals as part of their courtship behavior, creating a remarkable light show that attracts thousands of visitors.

Some of the fireflies in the park start their courtship behavior at dusk and stop before it’s truly dark; others prefer the later evening hours. Species can be identified by their flash timing and frequency, as well as by the distance males fly from the ground.