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Date:2018-04-09
Bracket:2018 NCYU News
Department:ncyu
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Firefly Watching at NCYU Forest Farm: Black-Winged Fireflies
As spring comes upon us and the trees and flowers begin to bloom, firefly-watching activities start to take place in different parts of Taiwan. At nightfall, Shekou Forest Farm, Jhong Pu Township, Chiayi County, seems to come alive with robust activity. Shekou Forest Farm is an experimental forest farm run by the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, National Chiayi University. During the season for firefly watching in recent years, the forest, ecologically well-protected, boasts an abundance of black-winged fireflies (Luciola cerata). After dusk, black-winged fireflies dance under the canopy of the trees and over the grass in groups, and dot the night sky with their flickering glow, making the forest farm one of the most beloved secret places to watch fireflies.
Shekou Forest Farm is known for its forest diversity, clean and unpolluted water sources, and abundant wild fauna and flora resources. It is also home to many as 15 species of fireflies, among which black-winged fireflies boast the largest number from April to early May. The first two hours after dark are the best time to watch fireflies. The forest farm, only 10-plus kilometers from Chiayi City, is a low-altitude suburban area featuring a great number of fireflies, and a family-friendly place for firefly watching.
According to Liu Jian-Nan, assistance professor of the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, NCYU, fireflies glow in an attempt to attract mates and accomplish its primary mission of reproduction. Any flashlight, noise or capturing might disturb their mating activities. During firefly watching, therefore, it is imperative to place red cellophane over your flashlight, avoid frolicking and making noises with a view to reducing the ecological impact on the fireflies. Moreover, some people might want to catch the twinkling fireflies in their hands for a closer look at their beauty, regardless of the fragility of their bodies. Since any willful act of capturing may lead to their damage, it is important to bear in mind: If we love them, we should prevent from hurting them.
Currently, it is free of charge to watch fireflies at Shekou Forest Farm, NCYU. To provide a good firefly-watching experience to the public, there will be NCYU students to set up a booth at the starting point of the firefly-watching path of the forest farm to assist the visitors in attaching red cellophane to their flashlights and offer information on fireflies in the evenings from Friday to Sunday in April.
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