It’s as if you’re seeing the Milky Way streak across the darkness — New Taipei City’s top firefly-watching spots revealed

Reported by You T-Ru / Taipei

Mid-April to early May is the romantic season when fireflies dance and adorn the mountains and forests. Fireflies require habitats with clean air and water, abundant ground cover, no light pollution, and suitable aquatic environments, making them an important indicator of ecological health. Taiwan is home to about 60 species of fireflies, and over 20 of them can be spotted in New Taipei City, accounting for more than one-third of the total species in the country. Especially in areas such as Pingxi, Xindian, Wulai, Sanxia, Shiding, Pinglin, and Shuangxi, you can witness the spectacular sight of glowing firefly rivers.


▲ Fireflies at Bitan. (Photo / Provided by New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Bureau)

The New Taipei City Agriculture Bureau will host four free firefly nature guided tours on April 26 at the “Sanxia Yuanshan Ecological Trail” and “Pingxi Jingting Old Street,” and on May 3 at the “Xindian Quchi Area” and “Pingxi Old Street.” Citizens can take advantage of the weekend to visit nearby attractions and enjoy a firefly-watching experience in the evening. Additionally, to help the public better understand the species and characteristics of fireflies in New Taipei City, a free firefly ecology lecture will be held at 1:30 p.m. on April 26 in Conference Room 511 of the City Hall.

The Environmental Protection Bureau’s Sanxia Carbon Neutral Park will open for nighttime firefly viewing from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. daily from April 25 to May 4, with 30 groups admitted per day. The Education Bureau, in collaboration with 16 “Firefly Family Schools” in New Taipei City, has launched a series of campus ecology tours and firefly-watching experience courses starting April 18. These activities are not only educational but also showcase the unique features of each school and the local ecological diversity. Participation fees range from free to NT$250. Other spots within New Taipei City, such as Wenshan Farm, Ali Bang Ecological Farm, Shuangxi Pinglin Leisure Farm, Wulai Yunxian Amusement Park, Erge Mountain Nature Center, and Daban Tree Forest Hot Spring Resort, also offer opportunities to see fireflies during the season and are great alternatives.

New Taipei City Government reminds firefly enthusiasts to note the following“Do not catch fireflies,” “do not enter their habitats,” “do not use lights to disturb them,” “do not make loud noises,” and “wear long-sleeved clothing,” “apply mosquito repellent”. Fireflies live in their natural habitats, and human presence can already impact their lives. To minimize disturbance, it is recommended to wear clothes in natural colors, stay on designated paths, and be mindful of where you place tripods when taking photos to avoid damaging their living environment.

Taiwan’s most desirable firefly-watching destinations<<<<<东森民调云大调查 (调查期间：2014-04-14 ~04-20)