Summer brings a certain magic to the air, but in some parts of the world, it brings the fairytale to life. Once a year, the winged beetle commonly known as a firefly or lightning bugs, put on a show to remember using chemical bioluminescence during twilight to attract sexual mates or prey. In firefly mating rituals, the males cruise by, flying around and flashing their signals to let the ladies know that they are looking for love. Meanwhile, female fireflies wait in the leaves, observing the males’ flashes. Each waits for a specific pattern of blinking light sequences are unique to each species. When they spot a pattern that they like, they flash the same signal back at the male as an invitation to come on over. It’s essentially the most beautiful booty call you’ll ever experience…
Every summer Tivoli, New York-based photographer Pete Mauney eagerly awaits for the three-week long light show. While fireflies are typically found in tropical climates, they also like marshy wooded areas such as the Hudson River Valley where their larvae have abundant sources of food. Using long exposure, Pete captures his home transformed into a real-life enchanted forest.
