Success for project to hatch fireflies in Tianmu, Taipei

2024-04-24

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.

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閃閃發亮! 天母也能賞螢火蟲農訓協會孵育"黃緣螢"

2024-04-24

每年到了四月，就會進入賞螢火蟲的季節，但沒想到在台北天母也看得到。中華民國農訓協會發現自家水池，水質良好又有螺，剛好構成螢火蟲的生長條件，於是在三月初跟新北市農會，買了1000隻幼蟲在這裡孵育，一個月後就發現，入夜後能看到螢火蟲飛舞的美景。

黑暗中，螢光綠點一閃一閃，如同星光閃爍，成群螢火蟲起舞，讓民眾又驚又喜。雖然不是第一次看螢火蟲，但在台北市區內見到，還是頭一回。

[[民眾]]
“真的很意外，因為他們天母這個地方要培養螢火蟲，我覺得是很難的事情。屁股是綠色的光，所以我們都稱牠綠屁股”

[[民眾]]
“很意外，我是覺得很意外。(之前都去)菁桐那一帶”

當初，中華農訓協會發現大樓的水池內有螺，還有活水流動，可能適合孵育螢火蟲，三月初放了1000隻黃緣螢，到了四月，太陽下山後就會出現成群飛舞的美景。

[[中華民國農訓協會發言人奚安鴻]]
“希望可以達到一個生態平衡還有環境永續這樣的概念，透過新北市農會的支持之下，請他們幫我們輔導，就帶了一些螢火蟲的幼蟲，過來這邊野放。所需要的環境水質很好，然後食物也充足，那牠們也順利地長大成蟲了。自己的員工發現螢火蟲，在我們自己都市裡面這樣飛，也覺得非常的驚喜”

協會在孵育池旁立了告示牌，提醒民眾觀賞時，不要用閃光或強光，免得把螢火蟲給嚇跑了。

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