Beautiful 'Galaxy' in the sandstone canyon in the US

Visitors will enjoy the wonderful light show of tiny larvae when coming to Dismals Canyon (Alabama state). This amazing phenomenon only happens twice a year.

Dismals Canyon is a sandstone canyon located in northern Alabama, USA. This National Natural Landmark is famous for its iridescent moss patches and maze-like stone walkways. But the magic of the Dismals Canyon cannot be seen during the day. When the sun goes down, tiny worms called dismalites shine with blue bioluminescence. (Photo: Dismals Canyon).

The Dismals Canyon glowworm is the larval stage of the native, North American endemic fungus-eating fly Orfelia fultoni. This is a close relative of the glowworms of Australia and New Zealand, living in moist, moss-covered caves that are ideal for them to form webs to catch prey. Dismalite emits blue and green light from both the head and tail to attract prey, usually the Alabama midges. (Photo: Eric C. Maxwell).

At Dismals Canyon, dismalite populations are greatest when the larval eggs hatch at two times of the year, late spring (mid-April to mid-May) and early fall (mid-September to October). Then, they will create a brilliant light show. Biologist Slappey-McCaffrey says the humid climate of the Dismals sandstone canyon is perfect for the glowworms' survival. (Photo: Great Vehicles News).

But not all bioluminescent creatures thrive like the glowworms in Dismals Canyon. According to the March 2020 issue of Insect Conservation and Diversity, the number of glowworms dropped by three-quarters between 2001 and 2018 because of climate change. Another study by the Royal Society of London found that artificial light pollution affects the glow of female glowworms. (Photo: livingonthedirt).

In addition, light pollutants greatly affect bioluminescent animals, especially those found on land. Increased exposure to artificial light due to human activities could disrupt the timing and location of bioluminescent species appearing. Therefore, even a small change can disrupt the biological structure of the Dismals Canyon, making the amazing phenomenon of nature disappear forever. (Photo: Flickr).

Going to Dismals canyon, in addition to taking a night tour to admire the dismalite light show, visitors can visit the primeval forest. This is a great place to explore the Witches' Cave and Temple Cave, which were used by ancient people for sacred ceremonies and community gatherings about 10,000 years ago. (Photo: Pinterest).