Counting Blinks in the Smokies
On the Wings of “The Firefly Lady”
Biologist and Naturalist Lynn Faust
Summer evenings for many children in the Mountain South have long included
the gleeful activity of catching lightning bugs and putting them in a jar
with holes poked in the top. Knoxville native Lynn Faust would put her jar
on her bedside table and watch the tiny lanterns glow. Disappointed to find
her bugs dead by morning, Faust, a born nature-lover, learned from an early
age to let the bugs go.
Faust’s curiosity and appreciation for lightning bugs has not waned. She has
spent more than a few summer evenings crouched in the dark, observing the
insects in their own habitat. The wondrous creatures that faithfully herald
the barbeque season in the Appalachian region are called fireflies north of
the Mason-Dixon Line. That’s also the name that researchers use, according
to Faust, a biologist and naturalist who has been involved in firefly
research for 15 years. The flash of “cold” light (emitted by a chemical
reaction rather than heat) from the luminescent beetles has held the
interest of scientists for centuries.
Research on a particular species of firefly, the Photinus carolinus, takes
place in Great Smoky Mountain National Park as a result of Faust’s
initiative. This species of synchronous fireflies characteristically blink
in unison, presenting a simultaneous display of light that is part of a
mating ritual.
“They blink in six-flash patterns with six seconds of dark in between the
intervals,” says Faust.
Synchronous fireflies were previously thought to exist only in Asia, until
Faust brought the Tennessee species to the attention of specialists in
neurobiology. The scientists later identified the synchronous fireflies at
Elkmont in the Smokies-and believed the insects’ presence to be a unique
phenomenon in America. Faust says another species of synchronous firefly has
since been identified in Tennessee and South Carolina.
All Blinks Are Not Equal
Synchronous fireflies have also been spotted in other parts of the Smokies
and the Southern Appalachians, usually in deep-forested, high-elevation
areas within the sound of water. Together the bugs can look like a Christmas
tree with lights blinking on and off. Recently, people have claimed
sightings at lower altitudes, including along the South Fork of the Holston
River in Kingsport.
“The Mountain South region is one of the richest in the world for dozens of
species of fireflies,” says Faust. “The most common species, the kind you
might catch in your lawn, is the Photinus pyralis, which rises from the
ground and dips its body as it flashes. It is also known by the common name
‘The Big Dipper’ because of its J-stroke flashes that look like a dipper in
the air.”
Faust says the various species differ in habitat, seasons of life and
flashing patterns. “Glow frequency varies, and color of light can range from
bluish-green to yellow or white, depending on the species. The fireflies you
see in May or June are different species from those you may see in August,”
she explains. “There are others in this area that live only along the river
banks or high in trees. There are even some that come out during the
day-there are at least 125 species of fireflies in the U.S.
“People can observe patterns of the fireflies and note different species if
they pay close attention and count the number of seconds between blinks.
Weather, moisture and environmental conditions greatly affect the timing and
their seasons of life.”
What’s All the Blink About?
Synchronous fireflies have about a three-week lifespan. Usually around
mid-June the synchronous firefly ritual occurs, where the males blink to
attract a mate. “In the air or in bushes, trees or along hillsides, the
males simultaneously blink several times and then pause, waiting for a
female on the ground to aim her lantern at the one she calls,” says Faust.
“They start a dialog answering in flashes. The laser lightshow changes;
there are waves of flashing and short bursts, and then it goes dark for a
period. The males gather in nodes-called chaos blinking-vying for their
mate.”
And What Kind of Perfume Do You Wear?
Unfortunately for the males, it’s not as simple as being summoned by a
beacon light. The bugs use pheromones (love perfume) to identify their own
species and avoid being clobbered by a femme fatale, a different species
that mimics the synchronous fireflies’ blink to lure its prey. Once called
down, the males land near the female, check her pheromone and her blink, and
if all matches up, mating begins. The female lays eggs in the ground, where
the larvae take one to two years to develop into adult fireflies.
Nature Enthusiasts at Elkmont, Then and Now
Every June for more than 40 years, Faust has walked up the Little River
Trailhead in Elkmont, Tenn., and witnessed the phenomenon of synchronous
fireflies. Her family had a summer cabin in the now-defunct logging village
of Elkmont. “For many years during the time when Elkmont was a vibrant
village, summer residents saw the lightshow every night over a two- to
three-week period and watched in awe,” says Faust. “But we didn’t realize
the uniqueness of the situation here.”
After reading about the species of synchronous fireflies in Asia, Faust
contacted Jonathon Copeland, a renowned researcher from Georgia Southern
University. He and colleague Andrew Moiseff from the University of
Connecticut began studying the Elkmont fireflies in 1992. It took three
years to verify the species, and since then, these scientists along with
Faust and a handful of field researchers have returned every June to
continue research and fuel their firefly passion.
As word spread about this natural spectacle, more and more enthusiasts and
curiosity-seekers began coming to Elkmont to watch the display. “Over 30,000
people showed up over a 10-day period, so three years ago the Park
implemented a system to accommodate the crowds,” says Faust. During peak
time in June, no parking is allowed at Little River Trailhead, and Elkmont
is accessible only by shuttle service, leaving from Sugarlands Visitor
Center in Gatlinburg.
Faust has a few pointers for those considering going: “Spectators should be
comfortable negotiating in the dark; flashlights are allowed only if covered
with red or blue colored cellophane (cling wrap) so as not to disturb the
firefly signaling, and to protect night vision. Don’t use a light if
possible; take a chair, stay on roads, avoid potholes in the trail and try
to avoid stepping near blinking females on the ground.”
Trekking along in the dark to see the firefly display calls for being in
shape and also an attitude of appreciation, almost reverence, for the
wonders of nature. “It’s not for everyone,” Faust says. “But the Park’s
guidelines have helped the crowds become more manageable, and hopefully the
impact to the environment is less damaging.”
Purpose and Passion
The recent Elkmont studies have centered on the fireflies’ eye structure and
mating habits. Researchers are also working to try to understand glow
patterns, which could provide a link to network theory, tying together
aspects of physics, chemistry and biology. Faust has worked with Steven
Strogatz, Cornell professor and author of the book Sync: The Emerging
Science of Spontaneous Order, which Faust says is a fascinating lay person’s
read about synchrony in relation to physics.
Other firefly research has included scientific applications to defense,
medicine and genetics. Specific studies have been done on cold light and
naval submarine radar evasion, as well as medical research on cloning and
splicing phosphorescent genes onto cancer or tuberculosis cells.
Why the research at Elkmont? “It’s for the advancement of science,” says
Faust, “but a large part is the curiosity factor. People are fascinated
with fireflies; they’re all around. It’s magical to watch, and it’s
eye-opening to the joy of nature.”
Ann Yungmeyer is a freelance writer who lives in Kingsport.
No Comments »
No comments yet.
Leave a comment
|
© 2008, Marquee Publications, LLC. All rights reserved. |
