Stunning Time-Lapse Of Fireflies Lighting Up The Night

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Most people know how fireflies got their name, but additional information about the insects often gets lost in the shadow of their impressive glow. According to National Geographic, there are approximately 2,000 species of firefly -- which aren't flies at all actually, but rather beetles -- who produce their characteristic luminescence through a unique chemical process:

Fireflies have dedicated light organs that are located under their abdomens. The insects take in oxygen and, inside special cells, combine it with a substance called luciferin to produce light with almost no heat. Firefly light is usually intermittent, and flashes in patterns that are unique to each species.

In this incredible time-lapse, countless fireflies are caught lighting up at once, brightening a summer night and making the woods a bit more beautiful.