Nearly 13 hectares of land in the Matsu Islands are to be set aside for firefly conservation, becoming the first habitat to be preserved for an island insect species.
The decision comes a decade after two new species of firefly were identified by researchers at the Council of Agriculture’s Endemic Species Research Institute.
Led by institute entomologist Ho Jen-zon (何健鎔), the team spent two years studying the species after local residents noted their distinct behavior.
While male fireflies usually emit light to attract females, in the Matsu species, the flightless females emit a steady light while on the ground to attract flighted males,