Why fireflies blink in synch
— Read on phys.org/news/2011-07-fireflies-synch.html

Why fireflies blink in synch

By Christine Buckley, University of Connecticut

Fireflies at night. Credit: Andrew Moiseff for UConn

For decades, scientists and the public alike have wondered why some fireflies exhibit synchronous flashing, in which large groups produce rhythmic, repeated flashes in unison – sometimes lighting up a whole forest at once.