Exploring the woods and forests of South Carolina is not something we often think about doing after dark, but boy if we did, we may encounter some glowing surprises in the deep recesses of South Carolina's forested lands. The are several species of fungi that literally glow in the dark in the most magical of ways.
While trekking through the woods (and sometimes even in our own backyard) it's quite common to encounter fungus growing upon the trees.
But what we don't know, is that some types of fungi growing on old, damp wood can emit a bioluminescence that actually glows in the dark.
It's commonly referred to as 'foxfire' and can be any varying degree of brightness.
The glow of this magical fungi was first recorded by Aristotle in 325 B.C. But it wasn't until 1823 that scientists were able to define why the glow occurs.
Some also call the glowing fungus 'fairy lights.' Whatever it's called, it's positively magical to stumble upon in the wild.
Scientists have determined the glow occurs when an oxidative enzyme (luciferase) reacts with a light-emitting substance (luciferin). Scientists have also determined that pH, temperature, and light also have an affect upon the development of the bioluminescent fungi.
More than 25 species of fungi that emit the bioluminesence can be found in North America and more than 75 species are found worldwide.
Certain species emit such a glow that it's possible to read by their light. The one seen here was captured during a long-exposure setting of 517 seconds.
Have you ever encountered Foxfire in your own back yard or during your visits into the forests of South Carolina?
Foxfire has been around for ages (as has the blue haze found in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western South Carolina, although the reason for that haze is entirely different). Have you ever heard of foxfire before? We'd love to know!
To read about another little known element of nature in the Palmetto State, get the scoop on why South Carolina has recently evolved into it's own major tornado alley in the United States.
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