Milky Way on earth: Spotting fireflies around the Island 火金姑「放閃」 來看螢火蟲漫天飛舞

TODAY’S WORDS
今日單字

1. firefly n. 螢火蟲 

2. light pollution phr. 光害

3. larva n. 幼蟲

4. glow v. 發光

5. twinkling a. 閃爍的

Fireflies, commonly known as “hue kim goo” (fire gold lady) in Taiwanese, can usually be seen starting after the end of the Ching Ming Festival. Mid-April to late-May is the time in the year that we get to see the most fireflies — often in the mountains and farms across Taiwan.螢火蟲在台灣俗稱「火金姑」，出現的時間點約在清明節過後；四月中旬至五月下旬左右，是螢火蟲最多的時候，台灣各地山間和農場常可見到它們的蹤影。

There are more than 2,000 species of fireflies known to exist around the world, of which more than 60 species can be found in Taiwan. Fireflies live only in places with clean water and low light pollution: there needs to be the right surrounding ecological environment with clean river water. 全世界目前已知有兩千多種螢火蟲，台灣已發現有六十多種。螢火蟲只生長在水源清澈、光害少的地方，周遭要有乾淨的溪流及生態環境。

Grass in woodland areas tends to contain many snails, which are the favorite food of firefly larvae. In March and April, adult fireflies will emerge and fly out in the evening to attract mates.  樹林下的草叢環境蝸牛多，是螢火蟲幼蟲最愛的食物，每到三、四月成蟲羽化，夜間便飛出求偶。

Increasing urban development and the use of pesticides have severely damaged their ecological environment so that seeing fireflies has become something of a luxury. 由於都市化與使用農藥的程度越來越深，使環境生態遭受嚴重破壞，對現代人來說，要看到螢火蟲已成為一種奢侈。

The glow from a firefly 螢火蟲的光

Adult fireflies emit light through a light emitter in their abdomen. The glow from the light emitter is composed of a combination of light-emitting cells at the end of the abdomen. Upon contact with oxygen, a reduction-oxidation reaction (redox) occurs to produce light. 螢火蟲成蟲藉由腹部末端的發光器發光，發光器是由發光細胞等結構組合而成，和氧作用後產生氧化還原反應，而產生亮光。

Each species of firefly emits light of different color and frequency. For example, a Taiwan Pyrocoelia analis glows with continuous yellow-green light, while the Aquatica ficta Olivier emits twinkling yellow light. 每種螢火蟲發光的顏色與和頻率都不同，如台灣窗螢發著持續的黃綠色光，而黃緣螢則是發閃爍的黃色光。

The firefly’s light flashes at a specific rhythm — it is the language they use to communicate with others, as well as a means for males to attract females to mate.螢火蟲的光閃爍著特定的節奏，是螢火蟲用來交換彼此訊息的語言，也是雄蟲利用亮光，找尋雌蟲交尾的工具。

The glow behavior of fireflies also has additional functions including attracting, alerting and intimidating predators, providing illumination and camouflage. 此外，螢火蟲的發光行為還有誘集、警戒、恫嚇捕食者、照明、偽裝等功能。

Firefly observation tips 賞螢小提醒

Flashlights should be covered with red cellophane to avoid harming the fireflies. 夜晚使用手電筒要加上紅色玻璃紙，才不會對螢火蟲產生光害。

Never catch fireflies with your hands, as they will die if they are disturbed or touched. 千萬不要用手抓螢火蟲，因為螢火蟲只要受驚嚇或被觸摸就會死亡。

The best time to observe fireflies is between 6pm and 8:30 pm. 賞螢最佳時間約為晚上六點～八點半之間。

Firefly viewing spots 賞螢景點

Taipei City: Daan Forest Park, Ronxing Garden Park, Cui Lake in Muzha District 

台北市：大安森林公園、榮星花園、木柵萃湖

New Taipei City: Wen Sun Farm in Xindian District, Homei Trail and 53 other locations 

新北市：新店文山農場、和美山步道等五十五處賞螢景點

Taoyuan City: Xiao Jing Ling Firefly Resort in Guishan District

桃園市：龜山區小精靈螢火蟲館

Hsinchu County: Xinghai Firefly Area at Dongwo River in Neiwan Village

新竹縣：內灣東窩星海螢區

Miaoli County: Springcreek Hostel in Zhuolan Township, West Lake Resortopia in Sanyi Township, Firefly Farm in Tongxiao Township

苗栗縣：卓蘭鎮岩川森林民宿、三義鄉西湖渡假村、通霄鎮飛螢山莊

Taichung City: Dongshih Forest Garden, Sijiaolin Coffee Farm

台中市：東勢林場、四角林咖啡莊園

Nantou County: Four major firefly habitats (Sun Moon Lake, Aowanda, Guosing Township, and Chulu), Sun Link Sea Forest Recreation Area 

南投縣：日月潭、奧萬大、國姓、竹鹿四大賞螢區、杉林溪

Chiayi County: Meishan, Jhuci, Alisha, Jhongpu Townships

嘉義縣：梅山、竹崎、阿里山、中埔鄉

Tainan City: Meiling in Nanxi District, Guanshan in Nanhua District, Hsinhua Forest Farm 

台南市：楠西梅嶺、南化關山、新化林場

Kaohsiung City: Namasia District 高雄市：那瑪夏

（台北時報林俐凱整理）

Keeping firefly specimens makes for poor environmental education: conservationists

捕螢做標本？ 生態教學錯

TODAY’S WORDS
今日單字

1. regrettable adj. 遺憾的；可惜的；不幸的 

例: It is regrettable that we didn’t have time to visit the museum during our trip. (很可惜我們這趟旅行沒時間去參觀博物館。)

2. intermittently adv. 間歇地 

例: The volcano has erupted intermittently over the past century. (火山在過去百年曾間歇地爆發。)

3. fragile adj. 脆弱的;易受損的 

例: The material is very fragile, so be careful (該材料很容易受損，所以要小心。)

Recently some elementary school kids in Chiayi County were taken on a field trip in a hired car to watch fireflies in Gukeng Township’s Huashan area. A local guide discovered that nearly every child had an insect jar. Stopping them from using the jars, he effectively kept the kids from collecting specimens and creating a regrettable environmental education situation.

The firefly watching season at Gukeng Township’s Huashan area has officially begun, albeit later than usual this year. Nevertheless, fireflies are indeed greater in number this year when compared to previous years. Yunlin County Ecological Conservation Association volunteer Liao Chi-chao says that since the weather has been intermittently cold and warm and rainfall has been minimal, he only spotted two or three fireflies during the Tomb Sweeping Festival, which had initially caused him to worry about there being a possible dearth of fireflies this year. Fortunately, however, the number of lightning bugs has turned out to be greater than years past since the firefly watching season officially commenced.

Last Saturday was the first day of the firefly watching season, says Liao, adding that more than 200 people crowded the Huashan area. Having people be enthusiastic about firefly watching is a good thing, Liao says, but he still warns that with too many people around it could have a negative impact on the overall lightning bug habitat. Local ecology guide Wu Teng-li says that it is laudable for an elementary school from Chiayi County to come to Huashan for an environmental field trip, but says that it is somewhat ridiculous for every single student to bring an insect jar.

Wu stepped in to stop the students from catching fireflies after a local child complained to staff. The students argued with Wu, saying that their teacher had told them to catch the bugs. The students eventually released the lightning bugs after Wu said that he would have the police come to take care of the matter. Educators should teach more about environmental ethics because respecting life has greater educational value than firefly watching, Wu says. The unspoken rules of firefly watching were also broken that day when two cars were driven into the firefly watching area, Wu says.

Lightning bugs are relatively fragile, which is why Liao says that it is so easy to hurt their wings if you try to catch them in your hands. Fireflies are not suitable pets either, Liao says, adding that once you take them home they will not get enough food and usually die within two or three days. For making ecological observations, you can use nets to catch them and then drop them into a glass jar, Liao says, adding that after using a weak light source to observe them you should release the bugs back to their original habitat.

(Liberty Times, Translated by Kyle Jeffcoat)

嘉義縣某國小戶外教學，包車至古坑華山地區賞螢，但孩子們幾乎人手一具昆蟲箱，經導覽員發現、制止，孩子們才放棄「做標本」念頭，生態教育才未留下遺憾。

古坑鄉華山賞螢季開鑼，今年螢火蟲雖然遲到，但數量較往年多，雲林縣生態保育協會志工廖啟超表示，天氣忽冷忽熱，雨量又少，清明節只看到兩、三隻，原本很擔心數量太少，所幸賞螢季正式開始後，「火金姑」數量比往年多得多。

廖啟超說，上週六是賞螢季第一天，華山現場擠進兩百餘人，賞螢踴躍是好事，但人數太多，恐怕會影響到螢火蟲生態；生態導覽員吳登立更透露，嘉義縣某國小週日包車至華山生態教學，走出戶外值得肯定，但每個學生都帶著寵物箱，就有點離譜。

學生抓螢火蟲，被在地小朋友投訴，吳登立上前制止，學生還辯說是老師叫他們捉的，後來他說要警察上來處理，學生才把螢火蟲放出來；吳登立直言，老師應多教教環境倫理，尊重生命，比賞螢更具教育意義。此外，當天還有兩部車硬闖賞螢區，也破壞賞螢潛規則。

廖啟超表示，螢火蟲相當脆弱，用手抓容易傷及翅膀，螢火蟲也不適合當寵物，帶回家後因缺乏食物，二、三天內就會死亡；要作生態觀察，可用細網捕捉，讓蟲蟲滑入玻璃瓶中，再用較弱光源照射觀察，之後就應野放回棲地。

（自由時報記者詹士弘）

(Advanced)

BONUS: CONVERSATION

A : We’re going to watch the lightning bugs tonight. Would you like to go?

B : Lightning bugs? Are they still visible now?

A : Yeah. But they aren’t the ones that have a green glow.

B : OK. I’ll go with you guys. I can’t wait.

A : 晚上我們要去看螢火蟲，你要來嗎？

B : 螢火蟲？現在還看得到嗎？

A : 可以啊！不過不是發綠光的品種喔！

B : 好哇！那我跟你們一起去，真令人期待！

LINKS:

http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2470

(Firefly with a friend, Eternal Golden Castle, Anping)