Fireflies light up the suburbs: Sparkling fireflies spotted in Old Zhuangli, Nangang

▲ Areas such as the Osmanthus Waterfront Trail and the Osmanthus Suspension Bridge Trail in Old Zhuangli, Nangang, are home to numerous fireflies every night after sunset. (Photo provided by Zhang Ruifang, Head of Old Zhuangli)

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

As summer approaches, fireflies are lighting up various parts of Taiwan. Recently, a large number of fireflies, known locally as "fire gold beetles," have appeared in Old Zhuangli, Nangang District, Taipei City. Every evening after dark, fireflies can be seen fluttering around areas such as the Osmanthus Waterfront Trail, the Osmanthus Suspension Bridge Trail, and the Tea Plantation Demonstration Site Trail. Zhang Ruifang, the head of Old Zhuangli, announced that a special guided exhibition on fireflies will be held from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM on May 3rd at Old Zhuang Elementary School. The public is welcome to join in the fun and enjoy the firefly spectacle.

Zhang Ruifang pointed out that in recent years, local residents have worked together to protect the ecology and maintain the mountain forests, which has unexpectedly led to a significant increase in the local firefly population, much to the delight of residents. Additionally, since fireflies feed on aquatic snails and slugs, they are beneficial to the ecosystem. Moreover, because they have high requirements for their living environment, they also serve as excellent indicators of ecological health.

% Wooden spoon? Flashing brightly (Photo provided by Zhang Ruifang, Head of Old Zhuangli)

Zhang Ruifang stated that the best time to view fireflies is from dusk until around 9:00 PM. He hopes that visitors will act responsibly during their visit. Littering has been an issue in the past, and there have even been cases of firefly-catching. The Department of Geotechnical Engineering reminded the public that if taking photos of fireflies, flash photography should be avoided to prevent scaring them away.

The Department of Geotechnical Engineering also advises visitors that to get to Old Zhuang to see the fireflies, they can take the MRT to Kunyang Station, transfer to bus route 小5, and get off at the Tea Manufacturing Demonstration Factory stop, then walk to Osmanthus Pavilion to reach the trail entrance. For more details, please contactthe Department of Geotechnical Engineering’s Hiking Trail Theme Website.