This Saturday the Forumosa hiking club is hiking in the Maokong area. It will be a late afternoon hike so we can be back at the start just at sunset and witness the firefly spectacle in the area. Anyone interested in seeing fireflies should come along. If you are too lazy to hike you can always just ride out with us to the trailhead and then hang around a nearby teahouse until sunset.
There will be fireflies for sure at the peace concert near Shrmen damn at the end of the month…There is about a 20 minute hike to the meadow where the concert will take place, and the fireflies will light up the trail for you…Quite a sight. 
We went up by Anken to see the fireflies yesterday. There was quite a lot of them. It made the mountains look like a Christmas tree.
Really? Out already in force. Everythign seems to be out early this year. Will have to check out Maokong this week.
I’ve just come back from Maokong and I’ve seen many fireflies at the spot that Mucha Man explained to me last year.
It was a wonderful sight !
[quote=“FireFly”]I’ve just come back from Maokong and I’ve seen many fireflies at the spot that Muzha Man explained to me last year.
It was a wonderful sight ![/quote]
Oh great. Thanks for alerting us. I’ve been wanting to go up there but I have no car anymore. Maybe I’ll organize a hike up Ergeshan next weekend and have it end just before dark.
I went out last night, dropped a number and had a poke around down by the waterfall and saw just 1, but it was magnificent.
[quote=“Muzha Man”][quote=“FireFly”]I’ve just come back from Maokong and I’ve seen many fireflies at the spot that Muzha Man explained to me last year.
It was a wonderful sight ![/quote]
Oh great. Thanks for alerting us. I’ve been wanting to go up there but I have no car anymore. Maybe I’ll organize a hike up Ergeshan next weekend and have it end just before dark.[/quote]
I don’t have a car either. I went there by bicycle.
You know, there are two trails starting from the parking lot. The one that starts along the stream and a wider one (a car can ride into there, but its a dead end road). This second one was the best for fireflies this time. I didn’t see many on the other trail, except in the first few meters. Actually, there were also quite a few in the bushes next to the parkinglot, especially just next to the start of the trail. But that wider trail (dead end road) was definitely the best.
I saw a bunch just behind my house the other night. And some in the bushes in my yard. Summer’s a comin’! 
About two weeks ago I was on a hike that was minorly disastrous. Some of the very very slow members of the group were caught on the hill going down from Bijiashan to Shiding after nightfall. I walked out to get torches, and when I came back to get the rest of the group was rewarded by great numbers of fireflies. Beautiful.
Many out on the hill at my place last night. More than last year. Beautiful. Hope it stays warm tonight.
Thanks for the reminder.
Went up there again last night at about midnight. The whole hill is covered with them. Thousands. Lit up like a Christmas tree in some places.
When’s the best time to see them? I think I read somewhere that just after darkness falls is the best time. If that’s the case, I can’t begin to imagine how many would be visible on that hill.
Ooh, I’ve never seen them. They only come out at night, yes? There’s a stream near my house which has a sign saying it’s a firefly coonservation area. I’m going to go and see t’night. If have, I say you.
In that case you’ll almost certainly see some. You only have a small window of opportunity to see loads at once – mid-April to early May usually, when they’re mating. A warm still night just after a bit of rain is ideal. Like now. It’s truly a magical sight, especially for Brits who probably haven’t seen them before (They have them in Unmerica I believe, at least in some areas.)
I’ve seen them in Germany too about 35 years ago … and we have an area in the Sanxia hills were they are promoted by the Taipei county government nature something … they put up a tent and some posters
they are even on elephant mountain…if you go up from the top of zhungjing rd (near xinyi) and take the left hand fork when the trail splits you’ll hit an area that should have a good few…
This is the second timeI’ve heard that Ankeng is a good place to see the fireflies. I’d like to know where, seeing as I live there. Anyone know?
Also, anyone been to this (somone-or-other’s) Firefly Garden place I’ve seen signposted (in English) on the road between Ankeng and Sanxia? What’s that like?
Brian
[quote=“Bu Lai En”]
Also, anyone been to this (somone-or-other’s) Firefly Garden place I’ve seen signposted (in English) on the road between Ankeng and Sanxia? What’s that like?
Brian[/quote]
Hundreds of cars looking for somewhere to park. We didn’t stop. Maybe if you went on a weekday it would be tolerable – the place looks OK.
Many along the far end of Academia Road (Section 4) especially at the first rise after the China Tech College (maybe 3/4 - 1 km). I cycle home along here about 8 every night, and they’re magic at the moment. Not many street lights at that point, and a stream keeps things moist.
Closest place to downtown Taipei that I know of with fireflies, and they are visible from the road. Much prettier than the ones in Oz.