Nature’s “Ghosts” That Live Among Us and Where to Find Them

“Ghost” plus [insert a natural phenomenon here] equals something that catches my attention every time. What about you? However, recently, a few of nature’s “ghosts” have made headlines. Let’s explore what they are and where you can go to see them.

Dancing Ghost Gnats

The last place I expected to find “ghosts” was in a copy of The Simple Things. Although it is a U.K.-based magazine and the Brits love their ghost stories, so maybe I shouldn’t have been so surprised to see mention of such a thing in their January Almanac section. (Which is a compilation of “seasonal thoughts to help you enjoy the month.” So charming, right?)

Anyway, not that the gnats they were talking about are truly ghosts. Rather, they encouraged people to take a moment to marvel at the ghostly gathering of winter gnats. (One of the few insects you’ll find this time of year in both England and North America.)

Specifically, you’ll want to observe the mating ritual known as “lekking.” It’s not as pervy as it sounds, so don’t worry. Chances are, if you’ve ever taken a late afternoon winter stroll in January, you’ve probably seen it.

It’s where male gnats gather to try and beguile female gnats into mating with them. But The Simple Things had a very poetic way of describing the dance.

“Their clear wings and long legs twinkle in the light of the low winter sun, making them look like lit-up fairies or apparitions. The gatherings are sometimes known as ghosts for this very reason. It’s like a tiny, ethereal outdoor disco.”

Good places to spot winter ghost gnats dancing are in woods and along riverbanks.

Ghost Forests Prediction and Prevention

The first time I ever heard of a “ghost forest” was when I saw one. We were on a train heading from Anchorage to Seward. (However, trains that also head to Whittier pass through it too.)

As we approached Portage, dead trees dotted the landscape outside our windows. A guide came on the speaker to explain we were passing through a ghost forest. He explained the trees were killed in the 1964 Good Friday earthquake.

However, they were also preserved when the land dropped eight feet and ocean water permeated their water table. (Yes. Because of the earthquake!) Now they’re literally nature’s ghosts, sentinel reminders of the 9.2 magnitude rocker.

Alaska isn’t the only place you can find ghost forests. Bear Creek in North Carolina is home to an inland ghost forest with an ominous name, the Devil’s Tramping Ground. Along that state’s coastline, you’ll also find some, like the one in Goose Creek State Park.

Any trees along a coastline could become ghost trees, including mangrove forests. The Cool Down wrote about how researchers have developed a new method to prevent ghost forests. Using satellite imagery, they can predict which forests are in danger of dying and can then implement steps to help.

Volcanic Ghost Island

Speaking of satellites observing haunting natural phenomena, a NASA satellite spotted a previously unnoticed landmass in the Caspian Sea on Valentine’s Day, 2023. They theorized the island was created when the Kumani Bank mud volcano erupted.

Recently, they noticed the island had vanished. So, naturally, they dubbed it a “ghost island.”

But on top of wondering why the ghost island disappeared, I was stumped about what a “mud volcano” is. EarthSky explained that “mud volcanoes aren’t true volcanoes in the same sense as igneous volcanoes. Most volcanoes we hear about are driven by molten rock from below, called magma. Instead, mud volcanoes are driven by hot water and natural gas.”

Does that mean that perhaps the waters eroded the ghost island that had formed in the Caspian Sea? Perhaps. Or perhaps it’s just another example of the haunting beauty and mystery of nature’s ghosts.

Check-In

Have you ever seen dancing ghost gnats, a ghost forest, or a ghost island?

Courtney Mroch

Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.

Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.