The 12th Annual PA Firefly Festival, June 28 and June 29, 2024: April 2022

Friday, April 15, 2022

Planning for the 10th Season of Fireflies!

We are counting down the days until our 10th season of events. We are planning for 3 Glow & Know Campouts and 2 nights of the PA Firefly Festival. The first event of the season starts on Tuesday, June 8 with the Glow & Know Campout at Scarlett Knob Campground in Fayette County, near Ohiopyle. Saturday, June 18 the G&K campout is at Camp Lutherlyn in Butler County. Next, the 10th Annual PAFF will be held in Kellettville on Friday, June 24, and Saturday, June 25. The last event will be the G&K campout on Tuesday, June 28 in Kellettville. Each event offers firefly programs with experts, guided interpretative firefly viewing, and fun for all. Online pre-registration is required for all events. Space is strictly limited to ensure a safe and intimate setting that protects the habitats of the fireflies.

Registration will begin on May 1st at 9AM EDT. Links for the registration will be posted on the website, pafireflyevents.org. Subscribers to the quarterly newsletter will receive advance notification of the links. So, be ready with your credit card when the box office opens. Here are some tips and courtesies to keep in mind when registering:

Please register you and your party for only ONE event. Booking multiple dates with the intent of attending only one prevents others from attending on the night of their choice
Complete your registration and check out as soon as possible. Holding tickets in a cart does not complete your registration. It only blocks others from registration. It can crash the site and you may lose your spot when you eventually check out.
You do not have to have a PayPal account to checkout. PayPal is our credit card processor.
Registration is non-refundable, but is transferrable. If you are unable to attend your scheduled event, please feel free to send someone in your place. We do not ask for IDs at check-in.
There are no tickets. You will get a wristband when you check in. DO print a receipt.

We appreciate that the demand to see fireflies is immense. There are estimated to be over 100,000 people trying to see fireflies this year in the US. We are only one of a handful of sites in North America where people can go see the Synchronous fireflies. That said, we are doing everything we can to maintain a responsible and sustainable eco-tourism opportunity. We want to raise awareness of the significance of the firefly in the ecosystem of the forest while we protect the environment for future generations of fireflies. We hope you will be one of the lucky patrons at one of our events this year or in the future.

Firefly Speak

A GLOSSARY OF FIREFLY TERMS

ABDOMEN The third and last section of an insect body. Fireflies have their light organs located in their abdomen.

COLEOPTERA The classification name (Order) for the insects known as beetles. Fireflies belong to this Order.

DIURNAL Active during the daylight hours. As opposed to nocturnal. Some firefly species are diurnal.

ECLOSE to emerge, as when an adult FF emerges from the pupa cocoon.

ELYTRON (plural – elytra) The hard wing cover that protects the firefly wings. Elytra are a shared characteristic with all beetles.

ENTOMOLOGY The study of insects.

LAMPYRIDAE - The classification name (Family) of beetles that include the fireflies. Over 2000 species of Lampyridae are known in the world.

PHEROMONE A chemical released in the air by insects to attract mates. Some firefly species use pheromones instead of light signals for mating.

PRONOTUM A shield-like plate that covers the head of fireflies.

THORAX The middle section of an insect body.

Synchronous Fireflies and more

The Photinus carolinus, aka as the "Synchronous Firefly", was identified and confirmed to be in the Allegheny National Forest during the summer of 2012. A team of world-class Firefly scientists from Tennessee and Georgia came to Black Caddis Ranch for 10 days, and traveled throughout the ANF collecting specimens and studying the diversity of fireflies.

The P. carolinus is unique in that the males' flash patterns are in synchrony with each other, so they appear to be like a string of Christmas lights hanging in the forest. Other witnesses have likened it to camera flashbulbs at a sporting event. One of the other confirmed habitats in North America is in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee where 1000s of visitors line up nightly for 10 nights to see this phenomenon. More populations are being confirmed each year stretching from Georgia to New York along the Appalachian Ridge. The Synchronous fireflies are in abundance throughout the Allegheny National Forest and can be seen in the ANF recreation areas starting mid-June through early July.

Over 15 different species were identified and described along with the Synchronous. One other local species was a Photuris species dubbed the"Chinese Lanterns" by the scientists. These were observed floating across the Tionesta creek casting their glow onto the water.

Starting around July 4 to the middle of August, the "Big Dipper", Photinus pyralis, begin their displays in the fields and yards all over NW PA. They can put on quite a natural fireworks show from dusk around 9 pm to 9:45 pm. Whichever species you witness during the approximately 4-6 week season, you can be sure to have a moment of awe and wonder at this display of nature.

The season is highly dependent on weather and temperatures. We watch several different factors (both scientific hard data and "soft signs"). Follow us on Facebook for updates as the season begins and progresses in 2022.

The 12th Annual PA Firefly Festival, June 28 and June 29, 2024

When is the PA Firefly Festival?

Friday, April 15, 2022

Planning for the 10th Season of Fireflies!

2013 Synchronous Display

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