By day, many of New Zealand's forest tracks appear unremarkable. Ferns crowd the undergrowth, damp rock faces line narrow paths and streams cut through thick vegetation. Yet after sunset, some of these same places take on an entirely different appearance. Tiny blue-green points of light begin to emerge from banks, cliffs and overhanging roots until sections of forest seem to resemble a star-filled night sky turned upside down.
The effect is created by glowworms, small insect larvae that spend much of their lives hidden from view. Although visitors often associate them with famous cave systems, glowworms can also be found in shaded forest habitats where darkness and moisture create the conditions they need. What looks at first glance like a natural light display is actually part of a hunting strategy developed by one of New Zealand's most unusual insects.
