Did you know that a species of firefly known as Photinus carolinus can synchronize their little buggy flashes? Check out this link to Great Smoky Mountains from the National Park Service, which provides some awesome details on the bioluminescent acrobatics:
"No one is sure why the fireflies flash synchronously. Competition between males may be one reason: they all want to be the first to flash. Or perhaps if the males all flash together they have a better chance of being noticed, and the females can make better comparisons. The fireflies do not always flash in unison. They may flash in waves across hillsides, and at other times will flash randomly. Synchrony occurs in short bursts that end with abrupt periods of darkness."
For those of you near the Great Smoky Mountains, I am truly jealous that you have the chance to see this in real life (CCH, I'm looking at you). For the rest of us, here's a YouTube video that gives an idea of the kind of light show that Photinus carolinus can put on.
Enjoy!
Used to love watching fireflies when I was growing up on a farm in Iowa; I think we took them for granted, for the most part; what did WE know? Even then, though they were truly magical.
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