Fireflies glow again at park thanks to cultivation efforts

On balmy summer evenings, a glittering spectacle is unfolding in Bijia Hill Park in Futian CBD. Hundreds of fireflies twinkle among wetland reeds, drawing city dwellers eager to witness a “fairy-tale glow” in the heart of the metropolis.

Firefliers glow at Bijia Hill Park in Futian CBD. Photo provided to Shenzhen Daily

The luminous display is the result of a two-year cultivation program by conservationists who have effectively reintroduced the species to an urban landscape where it had long vanished, according to local media.

Fireflies are highly sensitive to environmental changes. As light pollution, waterway disturbance and chemical pest control took their toll, the insects gradually disappeared from Shenzhen’s core. To reverse the decline and create a model for urban biodiversity, park management partnered with the Guangdong Firefly Conservation Association to launch a systematic habitat restoration project. The fireflies currently in the park are from artificially bred populations.

“Fireflies are a flagship indicator species,” Xu Song, a firefly conservation expert, told Shenzhen Special Zone Daily. “Their stable reproduction requires stringent standards for water quality, soil, lighting and the food chain.”

Fireflies are primarily active from May to mid-August. However, their mating and egg-laying rhythms are vulnerable to human interference. Xu urged the public to refrain from catching the insects, avoid noise and avoid shining white-light flashlights or phone camera flashes directly at the habitat.

The firefly colony is underpinned by a framework of policies and technologies Shenzhen has implemented regarding biodiversity, dark-sky management and wetland restoration.

In 2023, to combat light pollution, the city began regulating illumination around the Futian National Mangrove Nature Reserve. Along Binhai Boulevard, pathway lights now operate on timers and dimming schedules, and high-intensity blue-white LEDs have been replaced with low-impact, warm-yellow lighting to minimize harm to insects and amphibians.

Last year, the city released the country’s first guidelines for the construction of biodiversity-friendly parks, which mandate the creation of firefly-friendly, dark-sky micro-habitats.

That same year, it unveiled a 10-year wildlife conservation plan — the first of its kind for a megacity in China — which designates at least 600 square kilometers for wildlife habitats across the city.