r/caves • u/ImpressiveSocks • 24d ago

A glowing cave in New Zealand

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3.0k Upvotes

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27

u/ImpressiveSocks 24d ago

The Waitomo Glowworm Cave, officially Waitomo Cave, is a cave with several large chambers at Waitomo in the North Island of New Zealand. The cave is known for its population of Arachnocampa luminosa, a glowworm species found only in New Zealand.

The most common animals in the cave are insects, including the renowned glowworm Arachnocampa luminosa, a species of fungus gnat endemic to New Zealand. Adult gnats are around the size of an average mosquito. The larval stage and the imago produce a blue-green bioluminescence.

6

u/splunge4me2 20d ago

You float down the stream in little inflatable rafts looking up at the biolights in the dark and it’s amazing!

10

u/randomthrowaway8993 23d ago

Gave me flashbacks of skyrim

1

u/UnhappyYoshi 19d ago

Lmao expecting a falmer to jump out the walls 👀

8

u/772410 23d ago

SECRET TUNEL!!!

7

u/Fun-Neighborhood865 24d ago

That cave is an upcoming destination for Faline and Kuai-liang.

5

u/Resident_Cat162 23d ago

I did this tour last year! It is amazing, although the luminescence is significantly edited in the promotional photograph. They look more like the little glowing dots kids would put on the walls and ceilings in the US in the 90’s. Still highly recommended

2

u/Weekly_Drag_6264 19d ago

Time-lapsed

5

u/etoilebelle 23d ago

This is sooo cool! Thank you for sharing!

4

u/Tommy_Tsunami-_ 22d ago

The whole damn country is made of magic I swear

4

u/Bigfatstripeycat 21d ago

My aunt and uncle emigrated to NZ in 1977. The year after, they sent me a story book about this cave which I absolutely loved. I've been turning all my boxes upside down trying to find it again as we're going to NZ next year. There are new generations of the family that would love the book as much as me and I'm determined to find it before we go!

2

u/sssojota 22d ago

skyrim blackreach irl

2

u/VoyeurSecret 20d ago

South Island Fenian caves near Karamea also has glow in the dark worms

1

u/Pamikillsbugs234 23d ago

This is what I imagine parts of Shadesmar to look like!

1

u/IamACanadian47 22d ago

Zelda Tears of The Kingdom in the depths.

1

u/Turtlefarmer5 20d ago

That’s cool

2

u/Odd-Spell-2699 20d ago

The color is magical.

1

u/Strong_Cup_6677 20d ago

"Goodbye, V... And never stop fighting"

1

u/anejja 20d ago

G L O W W O R M G R O T T O

1

u/donadit 20d ago

was here once

Guide: do not open your mouth and look up

(no i did not do that)

2

u/One-Chip9029 19d ago

unbelievable how amazing our nature is