New Zealand: the caves of Waitomo illuminated by shining worms

The magnificent caves of Waitomo in New Zealand are illuminated by a constellation of shining worms: it is magical!

Deeply buried underground on the North Island in New Zealand , a true sinuous underground universe formed by limestone caves shines with a magical blue-green light. Although this may seem purely fantastic, these caves are very real. Their dark interior is animated by shining colonies of shining worms, also called arachnocampa luminosa .

This species is endemic to New Zealand and Eastern Australia. These larvae named glowworm by Anglophones are those of a sheep. They are bioluminescent, thanks to a biochemical reaction in the tubules of the larvae excretor system.

♪ caves of Waitomo were made famous by larvae that populate the walls of the caves and illuminate them in a beautiful way. The caves of Waitomo were discovered in 1887 by the chief of the local Maori tribe, Tane Tinorau and the English geometer expert Fred Mace. The walls of the caves are ideal for sheltering larvae, which often reside side by side in groups of hundreds, due to their wet and sheltered surface.

The luminescent light of worms helps them attract their food, namely other insects. The first part of the species’ name, arachnocampa , means "ver spidered", and refers to the silk threads that worms use to seize their prey.

New Zealand photographer Joseph Michael , based in Auckland, documented the sparkling caves by spending countless hours in the glacial basement of the caves, which the experts estimate they date to about 30 million years.

How to visit the Waitomo caves?

There are 300 caves in the Waitomo area, not to mention the ones that remain to be discovered. It’s in the small City of Waitomo that you have to go. The excursions start every half hour every day from 9am to 5pm from April 1st to October 31st. From November 1st to March 31st, the last visit is at 5:30 pm. Give 45 minutes for the visit.

The entrance fee is $50 for an adult and $23 for a child.