"For two weeks in late spring, near dusk, the fireflies at the most-visited national park in the US flash in unison, a ‘one-of-a-kind natural phenomenon’ "

"As fireflies in the southern Appalachians search for their mates each year, a crowd of people awaits them, hoping to catch a glimpse of a rare light show known to some as a life-changing experience.

For two weeks in late spring, near dusk, the synchronous fireflies at the Great Smoky Mountains national park put on a spectacular display across the landscape, flashing in unison for about five seconds and then stopping, together, like twinkling Christmas lights.

“It can give you the impression like you’re standing in a stadium and people are starting to do ‘the wave’,” said Dana Soehn, a spokesperson for the park, which sits between Tennessee and North Carolina. “It is this dazzling one-of-a-kind natural phenomenon.”"

Dani Anguiano reports for the Guardian June 11, 2021. [2]