Fireflies put on a summertime light show

There's a forest in Tennessee where fireflies put on a show unlike anywhere else. It's no wonder thousands of tourists turn out each year to witness the spectacle of nature's nightlife: a species of synchronous fireflies that flashes in unison. Correspondent Lee Cowan brings us a front row seat. [Originally broadcast on July 13, 2014.]
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[@TheNeeenha]

40 years ago I was a trail guide in an Ohio metro park..riding my horse in the twilight was magical..the fireflies to me were the faeries of the forest coming out to play

[@belladonna8425]

I live right by the Rocky River reservation on the west side of Cleveland and there is still an abundance of them. It really is something to see.

[@lolawants2008]

@@belladonna8425 what do u think of Ohio overall as a place to live these days..? I’m prob a few years out but I want to buy some land somewhere that hasn’t killed nature completely..

[@SandyWolf-]

I grew up in ohio I remember the summer eves, catching fireflies putting them in a jar!

[@julierogers1155]

Lovely sentence: .the fireflies to me were the faeries of the forest coming out to play

[@renee8545]

Fireflies everywhere, every evening here in Michigan ✨✨🌌✨✨ Took our children to a Nature Center evening program at one of our State Parks, and we had a guided tour, in the woods, all about fireflies and how they communicate... It was so interesting and a great family memory✨🌌✨

[@maggiemacha5552]

Magical is an understatement 💜

[@chinookvalley]

Better than fireworks. Quieter and safer, too!

[@shireeni8665]

I totally agree - and kinder to animals!

[@chinookvalley]

Ten years ago we still saw a few flittering around here in southern, rural Colorado. They are long gone, along with butterflies, and many other lovely bugs we used to count on seeing in the summer months. Humans, do we really need to take over the planet and destroy everything in Nature, just for our comfort?

[@julierogers1155]

Lightning bugs are one of the joys of my youth.

[@janyceparks8326]

The corn fields of Iowa show an incredible display as well. It looks like cities in the corn stalks.

[@ericclaptonsrobotpilot7276]

“Drove all the way from Knoxville.” 🤣🤣🤣 45 minutes away

[@landonp629]

"ALL THE WAY!"

[@tontostravels3788]

Hahaha. “Took me days and days!”

[@cathymckney2049]

This has been on my bucket list since it first aired on CBS Sunday Morning back in 2014. So exciting. 🎉🎉🎉

[@KatharineOsborne]

Glad to hear it’s a rerun. It was giving me a lot of anxiety to see absolutely no one wearing a mask.

[@JRIJR75]

As a kid I remember going to my grandparents and watching the fireflies and listening for whippoorwills… sadly the whippoorwills have disappeared from the area in southern Indiana.

[@renee8545]

As children we would catch them and put them into a glass jar and watch them light Up, in amazement.. Then our children delightfully, enjoyed, watching the fireflies in a glass jar, releasing them afterwards.. I love this CBS Sunday Morning segment on Fireflies! 🌞 🏕️🌌

[@g.a.mendoza1064]

Same here. That’s our lampshade for the night and freed them the next morning. And catch again the next day.

[@julierogers1155]

Yes, same here ... the fun of running to where you saw the light and trying to get them in a jar.

[@stewartritchey7602]

At 83 years old in Arizona, I still remember the lightning bugs of my Iowa childhood.

[@organic3280]

Isn't it wonderful to see people enjoying nature, peacefully talking to each other WITHOUT A CELL PHONE ?!!!

[@CathyS_Bx]

The species featured here is quite unique but at least I still enjoy fireflies--right here in New York City. They light up the park areas. And where I live, in North Riverdale, they appear en masse and it's a wonderful thing to see.

[@carmensantana1374]

Nature is beautiful 💐❤️

[@silviawardsly3061]

Absolutely beautiful!! This is how we should treat nature and the animal kingdom: with appreciation and reverence.

[@elizabethmills8667]

Ooo"s Ah's Amazing show On my bucket list to adenture this sighting

[@luana1600]

I'm from California and have always heard of fire flies, seen pictures etc. But, I have NEVER seen one!! This is breathtaking!!

[@markberryhill2715]

My yard is covered in them as we speak. Love it!

[@kindspirit7]

I am quite fortunate to have an abundance of fireflies in my backyard every year and the number seems to grow as I provide as much habitat for them as possible. They even started earlier this year than in previous ones. So this year mid May were the first ones showing up and right now it is peak time. It is quite cool sitting in hot tub on deck and watching the spectacle under a starlit night. Hope it continues for many years to come! It will be sad to see them perish by beginning of August but always have the memory until next year.

[@organic3280]

Sounds heavenly. Enjoy.

[@pamwilkinson3751]

Thanks Sunday morning ! You alway thrill me! Best part of the week!

[@bluelava4282]

Beautiful sight…………..

[@midwesternertk3714]

We all needed to see this magic. ♥️⚡

[@minervagalvez5937]

WOW!!! HOW BEAUTIFUL!!!

[@pottergirl287]

I grew up in central Minnesota and there weren't any in that area. I live in the southern part of the state now, and let me tell you - Owl City (a southern MN native) had it right. Fireflies are incredible!

[@stevegrooms1142]

We used to see these in northern Wisconsin. One night I watched while the bugs put on a grand show, then gradually dialed it down and went dark. But there was a nearby lightning summer storm. The flashes of lightning were apparently perceived by the fireflies near me. Aroused, they began to glow again as if they were competing with the light show put on by the lightning.

[@bySterling]

One of my fav childhood memories was visiting my great grandparents in Lawrence Kansas and capturing fireflies (in jars and releasing the next day)

[@bySterling]

A shame I literally haven’t seen since until now

[@merryhunt9153]

Find out what lightning bugs need and provide it. In my part of the country, they like tall grass under a tree. We have a crabapple with many shoots around the trunk, and they like that too.

[@BC-ux9iw]

It’s a shame that today “ bug watching” has become a novel, much anticipated, event. Why is this? As a child, lightening bugs were everywhere. Each summer we took them for granted. Today, last summer, I saw 1 lightening bug and was pleasantly surprised as I hadn’t seen any in years. Are lightening bugs being wiped out like the rest of the bees?

[@fellowviewer1095]

I saw one a couple weeks ago and that's it. Pesticides, herbicides, and pollution are all culprits.

[@elsajohnson6663]

Yes fewer than decades ago :(

[@jessicalt4121]

Technology….people inside too much watching tv or ….or people scared to have their children outside and at dark unsupervised. I loved those days: 4 square, tether ball, jungle gym, kick ball, hide and seek, fireflies, etc.

[@bybloodandbywater7082]

No they are still around in the millions , hence the huge tourist attraction that this video is about. Nature is still lit :)

[@BC-ux9iw]

@@bybloodandbywater7082 outside of that Tennessee forest where do you look for them?

[@edydarmawan6257]

In Indonesia we call "Kunang - kunang".

[@thefrogbert6295]

Would love to see Indonesia someday I hear there’s a lot of natural beauty there too😄 Hope you get a chance to see the natural wonders of the United States 🇺🇸💖🇮🇩

[@edydarmawan6257]

@@thefrogbert6295 Thank you so much. Very glad to hear from you that you are really know about Indonesia.🇮🇩 ❤ 🇱🇷

[@didibellini]

I wish we still had fireflies in Britain. Last time I ever saw them was late 1960s.

[@justjoan4010]

CBS thank you for such beautiful stories like this and others you’ve reported on. The hate in this world today , these stories keeps me a little more sane.

[@mygirl1129]

You light up my life 🎼🌞

[@LeviJensen-rk6pt]

Along the Missippi, in St. Louis we had the most magnfiscent, performance in our back yard.

[@tomatlanta2665]

God Bless CBS SM 😘

[@andrenewcomb3708]

I'm homeless for more than 40 years. There are some places where I'll sleep and the crickets/grasshoppers will ALL sing together simultaneously. You have to be still so as to not alarm them with your carnivorous ways . . . but they do synchronize. It's really pretty.

[@andrenewcomb3708]

Could be that 'that' is what happened to John the Baptist . . . he moved in and was stealing honey and eating the local denizens. So THEY contacted Master Kitty.

[@kristeandreatujague7016]

My people enjoying nature. Beautiful all around. 💕

[@zelmoziggy]

I had a bunch of fireflies in my back yard that routinely all flashed at the same time, until the city sprayed for mosquitoes and killed the fireflies off. They've since come back, but not as many of them.

[@marysawyer4041]

We used to catch the lightning bugs & put them in a jar at my Granny house in Nashville, TN such wonder memories. Thank you for this.

[@karmicsheila63]

The fireflies in that area are amazing. I still see quite a few in my big yard in Louisville , KY because of the trees there. I have great memories of spending time in the country at my Grandma's, and seeing a field full of "lightening bugs." Always had to catch a few in a Mason jar💓

[@elsajohnson6663]

Great childhood memories!

[@belladonna8425]

The Cleveland Metroparks has an enormous amount every summer. If you're ever in Cleveland, the metroparks are truly beautiful. There are also a ton of mosquitoes so bring the bug spray. Still absolutely worth seeing. The light show is always incredible but it's gorgeous in the daytime as well. In the fall when the leaves change it can be stunning.

[@empace5344]

'aaalllllllll the way from Knoxville' 😂😂😂

[@peg3170]

Another wonder of nature❣️

[@kylecollins2087]

It truly is something to see ❤️

[@m.c.4565]

Wish we have that conservation in Quezon Philippines. I was 13years old when I first see a firefly flying around the small town’s trees around people, it was too common people have less interest in it but I was fascinated by it, staring it all the time & I’m always wishing I could see it upclose. One time I was half sleep, in the dark, something glowing right in front of me on top of the mosquito net, next morning I check it I saw tiny dead beetle like insect🪲 I was like there’s no way this is a firefly! I always see an 🐜✨ant like flying insect in the fable movies and books! So I dismiss it and learn in adult life it was actually the firefly.

[@sallybuskey952]

I grew up with lightening bugs in Connecticut. And did catch them and put them in a jar. But would let them go. They were amazing. So I am proud to say that they were a part of my childhood. Along with walking sticks, praying mantis' and dragonflies and sewing needles( flying bugs). Some of which people I have met have no idea what these all are!!

[@mars7786]

I live in Michigan on 40 acres i get to enjoy it every night

[@proudlakerfan]

If I wanna see fireflies all I have to do is I look at my phone's wallpaper. It's animated with fireflies flying over a ridge at nighttime. Don't have to sit in the woods. Pretty neat.

[@organic3280]

You don't know what you're missing.

[@lindacaldwell6251]

We have them every summer here in Indiana... they are so sweet to see

[@stepyoung4384]

I used to see them as a kid in New Rochelle NY and in Westport Connecticut, but not so much now --except I don't go in the woods much at night here in rural NH!

[@pinkroses135]

4:22 they're wasting electricity! 😂

[@mikepict9011]

I used to see them alllll the time as a kid . Not in decades though

[@larrysouthern5098]

Anybody remember catching lightning bugs and putting them in mason jars ( holes in the lids so they could breath)... and watching them light up a dark room???

[@jeanettesmith765]

I want to go see this because they are dying out in so many places.

[@xs5783]

Good Morning :)

[@janeforever]

Remember fireflies everywhere as a kid. Sadly now they are such a rarity.

[@dhurley8522]

I absolutely love this.. A firefly got into my living room one night last week. He lit up and flew around a bit. Then I caught him, opened the front door and let go into the night 🥰

[@dznutz217]

Be prepared to pay very high prices for hotel stays during this time of year. Prices start around $200 up to $500 per night.

[@carmelaszymanski8104]

I Watched These BEAUTIFUL Gems on the Internet. BINGS Homepage.. Love this all over again.. Ahhhhhhhh..Thank You Mother Nature GOD...🤗💖😽🤗💖😽

[@bdhanes]

This is a rerun old story from years ago. Less and less fireflies. Less nature, more people, more pollution here in the Anthropocene.

[@londonghung3392]

Modern farming Pesticides are killing these phenomenon. I have yet to see a butterfly or a moth visit my tomato plants, laying its eggs and the tomato plant getting eaten by its larvae for years. Just lonely plants devoid of life.

[@justinbauer7723]

I grew up with these in Ohio

[@MaRkYWaHoO]

🥂

[@Speakupok]

What if a bear surprises them instead😱

[@haroldrisch1725]

Yelena called them "forrest stars."

[@jacobgoldenofficial4321]

You should have kept the secret Now people is going to ruin it

[@garylemure1404]

Does anyone know the name of this campground?

[@kindspirit7]

No but I am sure if you go on Smoky Mountain National Park website it probably lists it there. If not simply googling will be sufficient.

[@williammathieu8554]

Elkmont

[@godfreydaniel6278]

They're looking for love in all the wrong places...

[@braedonshelton2305]

How to help the fireflies? Keep your yard dark at night. No reason to have obnoxious lights all around your house at night. Plant native plants, and stopped mowing every darn square inch of your yard. Leave a little wild space. Also, stopped with the poisons. Weeds are ok, stopped poisoning our ecosystem.

[@safe-keeper1042]

But why must fireflies die so soon?

[@noecazares2144]

Its amazing just how God blessed us.

[@g.a.mendoza1064]

She said “Bah” for bye.

[@gamingtonight1526]

Probably in decline, like most bugs. So enjoy this video, it may soon be the only record of these bugs...

[@gato0082]

👀🌌🌌🌌🌌🌌🌌🌌✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

[@minjaekwon1502]

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Go away

[@yolandashikers4985]

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[@k1j2f30]

Yolanda Shikers and Minjae Kwon, drinking been tularemia congruous seemingly cis, trans an/or levo, indignantly erupts isomer precipitated pesticide swallowed toxicology, proposed me thinks.

[@kristinjayne6720]

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