the synchronous Firefly ranges throughout the southern Appalachian it
throughout the southern Appalachian it
throughout the southern Appalachian it really is a pretty magical thing to see
really is a pretty magical thing to see
really is a pretty magical thing to see I think people are just fascinated by
I think people are just fascinated by
I think people are just fascinated by fireflies you know I especially growing
fireflies you know I especially growing
fireflies you know I especially growing up a lot of people have experiences of
up a lot of people have experiences of
up a lot of people have experiences of catching fireflies in jars and looking
catching fireflies in jars and looking
catching fireflies in jars and looking at how they’re doing they’re flashing
at how they’re doing they’re flashing
at how they’re doing they’re flashing you know looking at them real close
you know looking at them real close
you know looking at them real close maybe it reminds them of their youth and
maybe it reminds them of their youth and
maybe it reminds them of their youth and they want to bring their children out to
they want to bring their children out to
they want to bring their children out to experience the same thing the
experience the same thing the
experience the same thing the synchronous Firefly can be distinguished
synchronous Firefly can be distinguished
synchronous Firefly can be distinguished from other species by its pattern of six
from other species by its pattern of six
from other species by its pattern of six flashes about half a second apart it may
flashes about half a second apart it may
flashes about half a second apart it may look somewhat random at first but when
look somewhat random at first but when
look somewhat random at first but when you get a high density of males flashing
you get a high density of males flashing
you get a high density of males flashing the synchronicity of the dark period is
the synchronicity of the dark period is
the synchronicity of the dark period is is very obvious and then a flashing
is very obvious and then a flashing
is very obvious and then a flashing itself will become synchronous as the
itself will become synchronous as the
itself will become synchronous as the night goes on generally fireflies do
night goes on generally fireflies do
night goes on generally fireflies do have a similar appearance of some are
have a similar appearance of some are
have a similar appearance of some are larger the predatory ones tend to be a
larger the predatory ones tend to be a
larger the predatory ones tend to be a little bit bigger and there’s a really
little bit bigger and there’s a really
little bit bigger and there’s a really small species too called the the bloop
small species too called the the bloop
small species too called the the bloop ghost and it’s very small but generally
ghost and it’s very small but generally
ghost and it’s very small but generally they’re they’re a type of beetle and so
they’re they’re a type of beetle and so
they’re they’re a type of beetle and so they’re going to have this hard outer
they’re going to have this hard outer
they’re going to have this hard outer shell over their wings that they used to
shell over their wings that they used to
shell over their wings that they used to fly with and they usually also have a
fly with and they usually also have a
fly with and they usually also have a little bit of red and yellow markings
little bit of red and yellow markings
little bit of red and yellow markings right above their head and so you really
right above their head and so you really
right above their head and so you really do have to look at the flash pattern and
do have to look at the flash pattern and
do have to look at the flash pattern and some other morphological characters to
some other morphological characters to
some other morphological characters to tell the species apart generally the
tell the species apart generally the
tell the species apart generally the habitats where we find patinas Carolinas
habitats where we find patinas Carolinas
habitats where we find patinas Carolinas is in these low-lying moist areas where
is in these low-lying moist areas where
is in these low-lying moist areas where there’s kind of a relatively clear
there’s kind of a relatively clear
there’s kind of a relatively clear understory so that the fireflies can
understory so that the fireflies can
understory so that the fireflies can visually see each other it also has to
visually see each other it also has to
visually see each other it also has to have somewhat of a closed canopy so that
have somewhat of a closed canopy so that
have somewhat of a closed canopy so that it can be nice and dark they typically
it can be nice and dark they typically
it can be nice and dark they typically start flashing around 9:30 or 10:00 but
start flashing around 9:30 or 10:00 but
start flashing around 9:30 or 10:00 but they do wait for it to get fairly dark
they do wait for it to get fairly dark
they do wait for it to get fairly dark there is a couple of theories as to why
there is a couple of theories as to why
there is a couple of theories as to why they’re synchronous and the female
they’re synchronous and the female
they’re synchronous and the female really does need a large light input in
really does need a large light input in
really does need a large light input in order for her to respond that’s how she
order for her to respond that’s how she
order for her to respond that’s how she recognizes the correct species so when
recognizes the correct species so when
recognizes the correct species so when she responds and the male’s then know
she responds and the male’s then know
she responds and the male’s then know that she’s the right female then they
that she’s the right female then they
that she’s the right female then they can reproduce there’s lots of other
can reproduce there’s lots of other
can reproduce there’s lots of other things that are flashing so they have to
things that are flashing so they have to
things that are flashing so they have to have this sort of Morse code
have this sort of Morse code
have this sort of Morse code in order to be able to know they’re with
in order to be able to know they’re with
in order to be able to know they’re with the right species
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