On September 11, the "Eco-Friendly You—Danxia Mountain Firefly Conservation and Ecological Education Program," one of Guangdong Province's top ten environmental public welfare projects for 2024, launched its frontline worker training at Danxiashan Museum. Over 30 participants, including staff from the landscaping and safety departments of Shaoguan Danxiashan Tourism Investment and Operation Company Co., Ltd., as well as community science popularization tutors, attended the training. Chen Fang, Deputy Director of Danxiashan Administrative Committee, gave an opening speech to kick off the event.
The program is divided into two key components: the "Firefly Ecological Public Science Popularization Campaign" and the "Research and Monitoring of Danxiashan Firefly Populations." As of this release, nine firefly-themed ecological science popularization events have been held, reaching an audience of 500 people. Event details were shared through the WeChat platform, allowing individuals to sign up or schools to arrange group bookings. These activities have been met with enthusiastic public response, with tickets often selling out quickly. Through these educational events, public awareness of environmental protection is increased, fostering a stronger connection between people and nature.
The "Research and Monitoring of Danxiashan Firefly Populations" involves organizing, training, and deploying a volunteer team. Since July, Danxiashan has established a group of 30 firefly conservation volunteers, including local research tutors, guesthouse owners, scenic area staff, and nature enthusiasts. In addition to online training, volunteers have participated in hands-on research and monitoring, helping deepen their understanding of firefly conservation. This latest training session enhanced the frontline workers’ knowledge of fireflies, turning them into new conservation volunteers who, in their day-to-day work, can now spread messages about ecological conservation and environmental protection.
For the research and monitoring effort, four representative habitat areas within Danxiashan UGGp experimental zone were selected. Over a two-month period, 36 monitoring surveys were conducted, identifying two subfamilies, seven genera, and eight species of fireflies. Significantly, the larva of the Lampyrigera firefly was discovered. This species is unique, with its range limited to the eastern Himalayas and Southeast Asia. Given the larvae's tendency to forage after rain, volunteers conducted targeted research and monitoring, consistently recording observations of the Lampyrigera larvae. This important finding confirms the presence of a stable Lampyrigera population in Danxiashan. Since Lampyrigera is a mysterious species with limited research available, and because the larvae of different species are difficult to distinguish, both male and female adults must be collected for further species-specific studies. Therefore, monitoring and research on this species will continue at Danxiashan.
Danxiashan’s unique geology and rich biodiversity make it a sanctuary for many species. Fireflies, as a key component of insect diversity, play an important role in maintaining biodiversity, making their protection and monitoring crucial. The Danxiashan Firefly Conservation and Ecological Education Program is a call to action. Together, we are building a green ecological dream and protecting the beautiful landscape of clear waters and lush mountains.
