Columbia, SC (WLTX) — It's a natural phenomenon that happens right around the middle of May and into June every year at Congaree National Park.
"It's a pretty amazing thing to see. People come out here and they're just blown away," says park ranger Jon Manchester.
Congaree is one of just a hand full of places to see this display of nature's beauty. The park staff spends the day putting the finishing touches on the viewing trail, and just before the sun sets, around 8:20 this time of year, people start to show up to witness this annual spectacle.
It's called Synchronous Fireflies at Congaree. During this time, thousands of lightning bugs come to life.
Jon says, "Many people remember fireflies from their childhood, but many people have never seen fireflies actually sync up their flash patterns."
It starts with a little flicker here, and a little spark there.
"They are communicating. They are what we call photo-communicators. So they're using light to communicate. How exactly it's being registered from firefly to firefly is still kind of a mystery," explains Jon.
And as the forest fades into black, the dance begins. A flash of light, and then a response, back and forth and, quite often, all together. It's extremely difficult to pick up on camera, but viewing live is quite extraordinary.
It goes on for less than two hours each night during this period, and the sole purpose is to find their soulmate, strictly for reproduction.
"The females will lay there eggs here, and those will be next years synchronized fireflies," says Jon.
He says that those eggs will hatch in the soil, and stay there until next spring, when they'll come out to delight us once again.
The park is open 24 hours a day, but during this time, the park staff operates under extended hours to answer any questions you might have.
Here's some tips if you plan on heading out there:
1. Come early, parking is limited and it can fill up fast.
2. Brings your bug repellent, the mosquito's are out in force, and will spot you if you aren't protected. I used a 25% DEET bug spray and didn't get bit once. (I got bit 6 times in the 20 minutes before I put it on though, so put it on first.) Also, it's best to wear long pants and long sleeve shirts for extra protection from bites.
3. You can bring a flashlight but make sure you cover the lens with a blue or red cover. The white light can throw the fireflies out of sync. While the park staff is on extended hours, they will provide you with blue cellophane if you don't have your own.
The best viewing time is from about 8:30 PM to 10:00 PM. Since it is a national park, it is open 24/7, however, the staff will only be operating on extended hours through Memorial Day. After that, you're on your own.