Shoalhaven's Matt Jeffrey photographs fireflies in an 'amazing experience'

And the NSW South Coast resident has been at it again, this time capturing, of all things, fireflies.

Matt, from North Nowra, has dabbled over the years, like most keen photographers, in capturing the brilliant blue bioluminescence when it appears from time to time in Jervis Bay on the NSW South Coast.

But this time he has captured a bioluminescence of a different kind.

Fireflies or Lightning bugs, yes they are here in Australia, and yes in the NSW Shoalhaven.

And it's bioluminescence - that's how these glitterbugs get their gleam.

Fireflies are masters of bioluminescence, which is the production of light in a living organism by the chemical reaction chemiluminescence.

Fireflies have light-producing organs called lanterns under their abdomen.

The lanterns contain photocytes, specialised cells that convert chemical energy into light.

And that's what gives these insects their trademark glow.

Matt captured the rare insects at a "secret" northern Shoalhaven location.

"I'm so glad that last year's fires missed this area," he said.

The only other local spot he knows of where the insects appear is in Kangaroo Valley which was largely burnt in the catastrophic 2019-20 Christmas New Year fire.

Mr Jeffrey found the colony about three years ago.

"I was coming back from photographing a sunset and there were these lights in the bush," he said.

I initially thought someone had followed me and was watching me.

"Then I realised they were fireflies.

"It was just brilliant.

"It is incredible to watch - they are smaller than a paperclip but just incredible.

"It's amazing just to sit and watch them - you could do it for hours."

Even if at times you have to battle mosquitoes and like his photo session earlier this week even suffe "stings from various trees".

"To capture fireflies in action and even just watch them is worth it," he said.

Matt's passion for photography sees him travel all over the Shoalhaven in an attempt to get "that perfect shot".

"I just love photography," he said.

"It's definitely a passion. It's not my job and I don't do it to make money, I think I've sold one photo in the last three years and I haven't tried to.

"I just like capturing the beauty of the area and putting it on social media for everyone to enjoy. (you can check out his stunning work on the Matt Jeffrey Photograph Facebook page)."

His work also features strongly on other local photography social media pages.

"For me it's a way to relax," he said "it gets me out of home, outside in the fresh air and not sitting back and watching television."

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Covering the disastrous NSW South Coast bushfires last year also inspired him to join the Rural Fire Service.

"I photographed the fire and saw the amazing work our RFS volunteers did during those blazes and have joined the Cambewarra RFS," he said.

"With COVID etc, it's taken a bit longer than usual to complete all my training, but I love it, it's great and importantly is a way to do something for my community."

He said his next "mission" is to capture glowworms in the local area.

Firefly light is usually intermittent, and flashes in patterns that are unique to each species, of which there are 2000 varieties.

Each blinking pattern is an optical signal that helps fireflies find potential mates.

Scientists are not sure how the insects regulate this process to turn their lights on and off.

Few realise that fireflies are actually beetles, nocturnal members of the family Lampyridae.

Most fireflies are winged, which distinguishes them from other luminescent insects of the same family, commonly known as glowworms.

There are about 2000 firefly species.

These insects live in a variety of warm environments, as well as in more temperate regions.