#waitomo

[angelnumber27]

A still image taken from 60+ hours of time-lapse video of Glow Worms and their threads shot in the Waitomo caves

In the humid cave, the insects use bioluminescent light and silk threads covered in sticky, reflective droplets to attract and capture prey

Image by Jordan Poste

[polwarth]

Cave'n

[lightofraye]

Today’s beautiful image is the Glowworm Caves: Waitomo, New Zealand.

Leave it to New Zealand to make even worms look beautiful. The Waitomo Caves hold thousands of bioluminescent larvae that leave long strings of mucus (sounds gross, looks dazzling) and glow like a subterranean Milky Way.

[theslowtravel]

Marokopa in Waitomo

[knowledge-first]

Hidden Gems

The Waitomo Glowworm Caves, New Zealand: Embark on a magical boat ride through these caves, illuminated by thousands of twinkling glowworms! It's like paddling through a starry sky.

[jms-viriato]

Las 'estrellas' atrapadas en las cuevas de Waitomo

Las cuevas de Waitomo, en Nueva Zelanda, son conocidas porque en su interior habitan unas extrañas criaturas, los glowworms (gusanos luminosos), que producen luz para atraer a sus presas y así poder alimentarse.

Estos puntos luminosos hacen que el techo de la cueva parezca un cielo estrellado. Es un espectáculo único y que merece la pena conocer.

[leon-production]

Waitomo Firefly Cave.🧚

[artworkandphotography]

Free flowing stream seen at the Ruakuri bushwalk in Waitomo, New Zealand.

[littleprincessfawn]

In my opinion, the most romantic place in the entire world. Waitomo, go there, go in the boat ride, propose on the boat ride.

(I wanted that, daydreamed about that since I was 15, but never will get it so I want someone else to have it. If I can convince one person to propose to someone on the glow worm boat ride I will consider my life to have been worth it)

Glow Worm Caves, New Zealand by Daniel Kordan

[nicteh]

Cuevas de Waitomo

[2bearbear]

New Zealand Travel Itinerary Day 10: Stopping at Taumarunui enroute to Huhu Chalet and Waitomo Ruakuri Caves! Day 10 of our travels in New Zealand was yet another highlight of our trip. This was because we were heading to the Waitomo Caves... ( Open Link to Read More.. ) https://www.2bearbear.com/new-zealand-travel-itinerary-day-10-stopping-at-taumarunui-enroute-to-huhu-chalet-and-waitomo-ruakuri-caves/

[polwarth]

[mixedupanddown]

When I went on a tour of Waitomo Caves in New Zealand, they were able to show us the strands that hang down from the larvae. As they explained the life cycle of the glowworms, our group caught sight of a bug flying just under their strands. The collective quiet cheer that this somewhat large group of adults let out when it got caught by a glowworm was adorable.

The caves themselves and the area around them are gorgeous. Highly recommend New Zealand in general and these caves, which are led, maintained, and owned by Māori, specifically.

Also there’s a haunted hotel next to the caves I’m dying to go back and stay in.

Imagine you are lost, flying through a black night in a vast world, blown by fierce winds and hunted by strange creatures. Wild and disorientated, you stumble into a cave, and seek sanctuary there. It is a dark, wet place, but you only have to survive until daylight. 

And then you look up, and see the stars. And you think that you are saved….

Let me tell you about

Glowworms

Glowworms are essentially a magical fantasy creature that wandered into our world by mistake. They are unlikely and unreasonable, and I am extremely fond of them for the following reasons.

They imitate the night sky…

Glowworms, which live only in caves and riverbanks in New Zealand, are the larvae of a species of gnat. As the name suggests, they are indeed wormlike while in larval form. 

They live in large colonies, clinging to cave ceilings, and oh how they glow. They glow so brightly, in fact, that at first glance it’s easy to miss all those oh-so-fine silk strands. 

Millions and millions of yards of silk, wet and sticky, dangling overhead. The fact that all this knotless netting is hidden in the dim light is no accident. It’s there for a purpose.

…in order to hunt.

Glowworms are enthralling to watch, but at the end of the day they are larvae. And larvae only really have one job in life: to EAT. Unlike fireflies (which are an unrelated type of beetle) glowworms use bioluminescence not for mating but for hunting. In this way, they are more like angler fish. The light is their bait–the silk is their lure. Even at close range, their traps are quite beautiful to see, like strands of pearls or the crystals of a chandelier.

These threads are essentially fishing lines. Each worm drops its own thread…

…and waits patiently to reel in its catch…

…which it then consumes alive. 

And this is where the glowworm gets its scientific name, Arachnocampa luminosa, or more literally: glowing spider-worm. Interestingly, the light-emiting molecule responsible for the glowworm’s luminesences is called luciferen, named for the Latin lucifer, “bringer of light.”

After months of feeding, these larvae will build their cocoons, emerge as adult gnats, live just long enough to lay eggs, and so die. Gradually the eggs hatch, the night sky is reinvented, new constellations are born, and the cycle begins anew.

So remember: this world contains countless miracles of nature, but nature plays by its own dispassionately cruel rules!

When you see the stars, you know you will live. You are a frail thing in a vast world, a sailor in a storming ocean–and like a sailor, you live your life by the stars. You are a navigator, born with wings on your back, born to fly: so you fly. You lift your gaze to the sky and take flight, floating up, up to the stars. You will be home again, you will be safe again, and in the morning the world will be new.

And as you rise to meet the stars, they descend to swallow you. 

paypal / ko-fi

[unlimitedvisit]

Best Places To Visit In New Zealand In July

New Zealand in July offers a diverse range of breathtaking destinations. Start with the stunning landscapes of Queenstown, where you can indulge in adventure activities like skiing or bungee jumping. Explore the geothermal wonders of Rotorua or hike the majestic trails of Fiordland National Park. Visit the vibrant city of Auckland or discover the magical glowworm caves in Waitomo. New Zealand in July is a paradise for nature enthusiasts.

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[aucklandexpat]

Stunning trek with kids through a ravine to Mangapohue Natural Bridge. The stairs up are being fixed, we will have to return. #mangapohuenaturalbridge #nz #newzealand #waitomo #travel #travelphotography #travelwithkids #newzealandlife #newzealandguide #newzealandfinds #trek #hiking #kiwipics #kiwitravel https://www.instagram.com/p/Cm-WdZzysjg/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[crabussy]

Also I live in nz and u must tell me where those tunnels are boy. I want to see the tunnels.

I’m obsessed with this ask. which tunnels. what tunnels. there are So Many. I would also like to see the tunnels