Miss it and you'll have to wait until next year—head to Neihu's Dagou Creek to see swarms of "Euploea butterflies" dancing in the sky

▲ Neihu's Dagou Creek boasts rich ecology and is also a great place to spot Euploea butterflies. (Photo / Provided by Taipei City Bureau of Urban Development)

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

If you want to witness the breathtaking sight of butterflies fluttering en masse, then the cool autumn might be your last chance. On the 18th, the Taipei City Bureau of Urban Development specially organized a free eco-tour at Neihu's Dagou Creek, another great spot to see Euploea butterflies. Led by guides, you can dance with the butterflies on a cozy weekend afternoon in the thick of fall.

Aside from Maolin, where you can see a "butterfly carpet" made up of millions of Euploea butterflies, Dagou Creek also hosts sizable flocks of these butterflies taking flight. Coupled with the area’s clear creek water and clusters of nectar-producing plants along the banks, it’s one of the easiest places in Taipei to spot various species of butterflies feeding on flowers.

% Other sights you might catch include clusters of nectar plants like Lychnis coronaria and Buddleja asiatica. (Photo / Provided by Taipei City Bureau of Urban Development)

In addition, Dagou Creek features well-developed riverside trails, various eco-stone structures, and diverse aquatic facilities, providing a rich habitat diversity. Not only are butterflies, dragonflies, and frogs commonly seen, but the creek is also home to Taiwan’s endemic Formosan zacco fish, as well as kingfishers that frequent the streambanks—both of which you might spot during this eco-tour.

The Neihu Dagou Creek Eco-Tour is scheduled for 3:00–5:00 PM on the 18th. Registration opens on the 13th and closes on the 15th, with a limit of 40 participants. For more details, check the Taipei City Bureau of Urban Development’s official website.