April is firefly season, and there’s a new location in Taipei where the glowing insects can be seen. A project to hatch fireflies outside an office in Tianmu has been a big success. Local people are amazed to find fireflies on their own doorsteps for the first time. The project is a collaboration between the National Training Institute for Farmers’ Organizations and New Taipei Farmers’ Association. They hope the population of fireflies will remain and become part of the local ecosystem.

Tiny green lights flicker and flash in a sea of black. Visitors are delighted by these fireflies dancing in large groups. Even if you’ve seen them before, you probably haven’t seen them in Taipei City.

Member of public
It’s a real surprise, because I think it’s very hard to cultivate fireflies here in Tianmu. They have a green light on their bum, so we call them “green bums.”

Member of public
I think it’s surprising. We used to go Jingtong and that area to see them.

These ponds are outside the National Training Institute for Farmers’ Organizations. They realized the ponds might be suitable for firefly larvae, because they had fresh running water and snails. In March, 1,000 aquatica ficta fireflies were hatched in the area. Come April, the clouds of dancing “green bums” are visible every night after sundown.

Hsi An-hung
National Training Institute for Farmers’ Organizations spokesperson
We hope to achieve an ecological equilibrium, and for it to be environmentally sustainable. With the support of New Taipei City Farmers’ Association, who have been guiding us through it, we brought in some firefly larvae and set them free here. There’s the good water quality they need, and plenty of food, so they were able to grow into maturity successfully. It’s a wonderful surprise for our own employees to find the fireflies flying like this in our own city.

The association has set up an information sign next to the hatching pond, to warn visitors not to use strong lights or camera flashes when they admire the fireflies, as these will scare them away.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Sun to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#台灣新聞 #TaiwanNews #民視新聞 #FTV新聞 #Taiwan