In the southern Appalachian mountains, especially in Pisgah National Forest, the rare blue ghost fireflies exhibit a continuous blue glow instead of the typical blinking light. This unique species, Phausis reticulata, has males illuminating for several seconds to attract motionless females, creating a visual phenomenon reminiscent of floating lights. Dr. Jennifer Frick-Ruppert brought them to wider attention through her research in 2008. Their elusive nature makes them difficult to photograph, adding to their mystery and intrigue.
It literally looks like a blue ghost or kind of an eerie, small, blue light that's floating through the woods, almost leaving a trail.
Males hover low to the ground as a result, illuminated for a few seconds to a minute at a time, while females on the ground signal back.
It's hard to believe it is real. Frick-Ruppert found blue ghost fireflies on her property and didn't know what they were, which led to researching her findings.
What makes blue ghost fireflies even more mysterious is that they are next to impossible to capture on camera.
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