I believe that many of my friends' concept of fireflies is still stuck on the dots of bright light in the grass, but you may not know that there is actually another kind of firefly in the world that lives in caves. When you step into a cave full of them, the top of the cave is covered with fluorescent glow worms that look like stars in the sky. Currently, this two-winged insect only exists in parts of New Zealand and Australia, and none is more famous than the Waitomo Glowworm Caves on New Zealand's North Island.
New Zealand fireflies are the larval stage of two-winged insects, each firefly can spit out up to 70 wet sticky transparent threads, the longest even nearly 20cm, through the emitted shimmering light to attract and capture other insects as food, and rely on survival. Fireflies need sufficient humidity to avoid drying out and dying, a suitable environment for the spitting threads to hang steadily, and a dark space to emit a dim light, and the stalactite caves are a natural and seamless match for the ideal living space.
There are a few special rules for visiting the Glowworm Cave caves:
Stalactites and stalagmites will lose their colour and damage their fragile structure by touching them, so they must be treasured and never touched with hands;
Inside the glowworm cave must be kept quiet, especially when taking a flat-bottomed boat to watch the glowworms, do not scare and destroy the ecological environment of the glowworms;
Finally, for the safety of every tourist, a total ban on smoking, the whole prohibited the use of cameras and video recorders, and must follow the team to move together so that the guide to take care of, to avoid accidents in the wet and dark inside the glowworm cave.
As you can not take photos and video is difficult to see very good photos of the glowworm caves, then enjoy the video shot by a professional photographer.
Related products: North Island Whitmore Glowworm Caves
The Waitomo region is home to many unforgettable tourist destinations. In Māori, "Wai" means water and "tomo" means cave; together, Waitomo means "cave surrounded by water". 30 million years ago, the entire Waitomo region was submerged below sea level, and the layers of limestone were slowly created over time under the sea.
Today, these limestone formations are hidden beneath vast expanses of lush grassland, making them one of New Zealand's most magical underground wonders. Fantastic glow worm caves, caves of all shapes and sizes, and an underground maze of countless underground rivers and flowing caves make Waitomo one of New Zealand's must-see destinations for travelers.
For over a hundred years, the magical canoeing journey through the unique 'river of stars' of the Waitomo Glowworm Caves has been an important part of the region's cultural and natural history. Our expert guides will take you on a journey through this magical little world, telling you all about the history of the caves and the local Maori culture. You will then board a boat inside the cave and join visitors from all over the world to marvel at the wonders of nature as you breathlessly watch a glittering river of stars made up of thousands of glow worms.
【Prices】
Whitmore Glowworm Caves NZ$ 50
Waitomo Glowworm Cave & Ruakuli Ruakuli Cave : NZ$ 89
Waitomo Glowworm Cave & ARANUI CAVE: NZ$ 74
Waitomo Glowworm Caves & Aranui ARANUI CAVE & Ruakuri RUAKURI CAVE: NZ$95
【Te Anau Firefly Caves, South Island】
Nestled on the western shore of Lake Te Anau, this fascinating cave complex offers an underground adventure destination for young and old alike. At the end of your Lake Te Anau sightseeing cruise, your friendly and knowledgeable guide will take you through the trails and canoe to the bottom of the caves to explore the mysteries of the cave world. Watch the fast-flowing water etch the rocks and see ancient stone pillars in all their splendour before entering the dark and serene Glowworm Cave, where thousands of glowworms will light up a wonderful picture.
【Prices】
From Te Anau: NZ$ 81.00
From Queenstown: NZ$ 156.00