FreeLists / bristol-birds / [Bristol-Birds] Whip-poor-wills and Blue Ghosts

[dnldhlt@xxxxxxx]

Hey folks,
     The Elizabethton Bird Club had a field trip on May 22, 2007 to observe 
Whip-poor-wills on Rich Mtn. in Unicoi Co., TN.  Several whip-poor-wills were 
heard, and other species were enjoyed on the drive up, but the best species on 
the trip was unexpected.
     While walking in the dark we saw fireflies that had dim bluish lights that 
did not blink, hovering low over the terrain in the hollow, under rhododendrons 
that shaded the ground from the moonlight.  We caught a few specimens, and they 
were less than half the size of our familiar firefly species.  Dianne Draper 
and Jean Potter also saw wingless females in the leaf litter.  I did a little 
research and found out that they are called Blue Ghost fireflies, Phausis 
reticulata.  Here is a link to a site with info and photos.

http://www.dlia.org/atbi/species/Animalia/Arthropoda/Insecta/Coleoptera/Elateroidea/Lampyridae/Phausis_reticulata.shtml

Their season is basically mid-May to mid-June.  Has anyone else seen these, and 
if so where?

Don Holt
Johnson City, TN

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