Returning for the evening guided tour, I'm back at Dismal Canyon after checking into my nearby hotel and getting some dinner. This should be the highlight of the weekend and is the reason I drove all this way. Much like the area around Anna Ruby Falls, close to my home, this area is home to a bioluminescent fly larvae that emits a faint bluish light to attract prey.
Once again checking in, our tour guide takes a count and gives us a short introduction as we wait for the daylight to fade away and the darkness to take hold of the canyon. This is when the small creatures will begin to put on their show. We carefully make our way along the dark path and as we reach the first of the rock passages, we begin to see dozens of bluish-white lights all over the surface of the rocks. I wish my camera was capable of capturing these brilliant creatures, but I'll have to settle for pictures taken by others.
We make our way across the bridge and back into the Witches Cavern as I suspected. Here, we shut off our lights, as the tour guide suggests we hold the hands of the person in front of and behind us as we carefully make our way through the tight passage in near total darkness. The only light is that provided by our tiny friends on on the moss rock face. This is one of just a couple of areas where this particular species thrives. It's quite a privilege to be able to take this all in. There are even more of them here than the area we started at, and far more than I've seen at Anna Ruby Falls in the past. I would estimate that there are twenty to thirty larva per square ten feet of rock surface. Truly amazing.
After having toured the planned area, we return the way we came with lights on this time to make it a little safer. The guide offers to answer any questions that remain and wishes us well on our journeys as he see us off and prepares for the next group. What a great experience.
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