When Are Fireflies In Season

Final updated on April third, 2022 at 05:31 pm

Each year, Blueish Spring State Park, home to manatees in the winter and a favorite place for a swim in clear, bracing spring water in the summer, allows visitors to stay ane hour after closing during "firefly season."

Really? When I outset read this, I thought it was an April Fool's joke. Equally a South Florida resident, am I alone in my ignorance of fireflies in Florida? Merely I did a quick Google search, and, indeed, Fundamental Florida is awash with fireflies at dusk near bodies of water in late March and early on Apr.

For 2022, Highland Hammocks State Park in Sebring also showcased its fireflies.

Hither's information on the two firefly programs at state parks:

Fireflies at Blueish Spring Country Park

Located 35 miles n of Orlando in Orange Metropolis, the spring is dwelling to hundreds of manatees in the winter and thousands of fireflies for a few weeks in spring.

To allow visitors to enjoy this phenomenon, Blueish Spring State Park lets a limited number of visitors stay one hr afterward the traditional dusk endmost time to see Florida fireflies in action: "Mother Nature's light show."

Blue Spring State Park sunset over the St. Johns River, waiting for fireflies to light up. (Photo: Bonnie Gross) — Blue Jump State Park in Orange City, Florida: Dusk over the St. Johns River, waiting for fireflies to light upward. (Photograph: Bonnie Gross)

In 2022, firefly viewing at the park is being held for two weeks, encompassing 3 weekends, beginning Friday, March 18 and continuing through April three. 2022. Every year, the exact dates are adjusted to reflect the schedule of the fireflies, which are influenced by weather condition.

During firefly season, the park admits a express number of cars each dark, so it is suggested you arrive early on — 5:30 or half-dozen p.g. — considering this is very pop. When y'all pay your $6 park admission, say yous are staying for the fireflies. In that location is a $10 per car ticket, a donation to the Friends of Blue Spring State Park, who provide volunteers along the cocky-guided trail. Best chances to gain entrance are weeknights.

The fireflies go visible as the skies darken and are at their most dramatic between eight and 9 p..1000., when you must leave the park.

While there are fireflies throughout the woods in Blue Spring, what really makes this experience is the one-half-mile boardwalk forth the spring run. On the boardwalk, yous can safely walk through the darkness without stumbling. Fluorescent paint has been applied periodically to help guide the way. (Flashlights and jail cell phone lights actually ruin the lighting and the experience. Fifty-fifty kids with glow necklaces and sticks were a negative.)

Between celebrated Thursby House and the stop of the boardwalk at the spring boil, the trail has woods on both sides total of fireflies that are much brighter than I remember from my childhood.

The fireflies look like Christmas light scattered in the woods. Periodically, they seem to synchronize and flash in unison for a few moments. In this department of the boardwalk, yous are immersed in the calorie-free testify, with fireflies all around, occasionally flight over the boardwalk.

These fireflies seem to prefer depression altitudes and woods over fields.

In March 2022, we were lucky plenty to stay in a cabin at Bluish Spring State Park during firefly flavor and so could walk over to the boardwalk. At our motel, however, the woods were besides total of fireflies.

Note: Park managers inquire that y'all not apply bug spray or capture fireflies.

Florida Rambler tip: Since you must arrive pretty early to go a parking spot, plan ahead and bring a picnic dinner. Shut to the parking area, in that location are picnic tables with a view of the river and a playground for kids. Y'all tin savour the sunset over the St. Johns while you wait.

Blue Bound State Park

2100 West French Ave., Orange City, FL 32763. Phone: 386-775-3663. Open from 8 a.m. until sundown, 365 days a year. 24-hour interval utilize admission $half-dozen per vehicle, $ii for pedestrians, bicycles.

Phone call the park for the schedule: 386-775-3663.
Visiting Bluish Leap State Park from Florida Rambler
Blue Spring Land Park website

Fireflies at Highland Hammock State Park

At Highland Hammocks, firefly tram tours began on Tuesday, March fifteen and volition run each night through Monday, March 21, weather permitting. Tickets are available the day earlier and the day of the tour at the Hammock Inn Camp Shop inside the park. Tickets are not available online just If you are unable to buy tickets in person at the store, you lot can buy them over the telephone with a credit card at 863-402-0061.

Tickets are $12 per developed, $seven for children 6-12. Children 5 and under are gratuitous of accuse with paying adult only please note, this activity may not be appropriate for children nether three. (They may be frightened by the intense darkness and nature'southward sounds. Once the tram leaves, it will non turn dorsum for the duration of the tour.) Pets are not permitted.

The park entrance fee of $6 per carload will be waived after vi p.1000. Trams will load in the picnic circle, in front of the Hammock Inn, get-go at approximately seven:15 to vii:30 p.m. with departure at most eight p.m. In that location is as well ample parking in this expanse or just across the boardwalk in the campground overflow parking expanse.

The program is a project of the Friends of Highland Hammocks State Park.

Highland Hammock State Park, 5931 Hammock Rd, Sebring, FL 33872 (863) 386-6094

Visiting Highland Hammock Country Park from Florida Rambler
Highland Hammock Land Park website

What makes fireflies light up?

First, fireflies are not flies; they are beetles. Fireflies have an organ in their abdomen that produce a chemic that reacts to oxygen to produce lite; the procedure is chosen bioluminescence. The light they produce does not produce warmth. One reason fireflies glow is to attract mates.

Why don't I see more fireflies in Florida?

Sadly, fireflies are disappearing all over the globe and human beings are to blame. Here's more information from firefly. org:

Virtually species of fireflies thrive as larvae in rotting wood and forest litter at the margins of ponds and streams. And as they abound, they more than or less stay where they were built-in. Some species are more than aquatic than others, and a few are institute in more arid areas—but most are found in fields, forests and marshes. Their environment of choice is warm, humid and near continuing water of some kind—ponds, streams and rivers, or even shallow depressions that retain water longer than the surrounding ground. The trouble is that in America and throughout the globe, our open fields and forests are beingness paved over, and our waterways are seeing more development and noisy boat traffic. As their habitat disappears under housing and commercial developments, firefly numbers dwindle. Logging, pollution and increased use of pesticides may also contribute to destroying firefly habitat and natural prey.
— Firefly.org

Places near Blue Spring Country Parkfrom Florida Rambler

Visiting Blue Spring State Park

Cabins at Blue Spring and three other Central Florida parks

Wekiva River Basin inviting to paddlers, campers

Hontoon Island: Camping, cabins, great kayak trip in wild setting

Places nigh Highland Hammocks State Park from Florida Rambler

Florida Rambler story about the CCC museum at Highland Hammocks State Park and the function of the CCC in building Florida's parks.

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The information in this article was authentic when published but may change without notice. Confirm details when planning your trip.

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The writer, Bonnie Gross, travels with her husband David Blasco, discovering off-the-beaten path places to hike, kayak, bike, swim and explore. Florida Rambler was founded in 2010 by Bonnie and fellow announcer Bob Rountree, two long-time Florida residents who have spent decades exploring the Florida outdoors. Their articles have been published in the Sun Sentinel, the Miami Herald, the Orlando Sentinel, The Guardian and Visit Florida.