Sorry Gamers: the title of this post does not refer to a Pac-Man villian, but rather a very special species of firefly, Phausis reticulata –aka, 'The Blue Ghost.' This diminutive beetle is primarily only found in relatively untouched woodlands in the Appalachians although this is just the general rule. What is a constant is that they are dreadfully hard to photograph and I've somehow gotten it in my head that I can make it happen. I spent the better part of last winter daydreaming about this undertaking and now it is time to put my theories to the test.Tonight was my first attempt in the field, and due to heavy rains, no photos were made. However, I can happily report that I saw three individuals trying to their best to look photogenic. I spent the better part of the day exploring a property owned by renowned potter Don Lewis, which also happens to be a safe-haven for the P. reticulata and several other species of fireflies. Mr. Lewis, who is arguably the world's expert on the Blue Ghost, pointed out several possible locations where the may appear over the next few weeks. All of these sites look very promising from a photographic standpoint.
During the next several weeks, I'll be reporting on my progress. It should be a very exciting couple of months.
