Experience the "Night Satoyama Experience Firefly Watching Tour" activity at Mobility Resort Motegi!
Firefly viewing, known as a summer tradition, was held at
"Mobility Resort Motegi" located in Motegi Town, Haga District, Tochigi Prefecture.
This time, we will deliver a report on the experience of this activity.
What kind of activity is the
"Night Satoyama Experience Firefly Viewing Tour" held at Mobility Resort Motegi?
At Mobility Resort Motegi, there are numerous facilities that the whole family can enjoy, including Motorsports and MOBI PARK, which offers many attractions for children. Among them, the forest called "Hello Woods" within Mobility Resort Motegi provides various activities where you can experience nature.
Meanwhile, from late May to early July, when the weather becomes somewhat humid as the rainy season transitions into summer, it becomes firefly viewing season. At Mobility Resort Motegi, the "Night Satoyama Experience Firefly Viewing Tour" activity was held. In 2021, it took place on June 19, 26, and July 3.
Fireflies are delicate creatures, so their habitat is limited to places such as rivers with gentle water flow and where their food source, freshwater snails called kawarina, live. Moreover, recently, factors like river pollution, the decline of kawarina, abnormal weather, and light pollution have had an impact, causing firefly populations to decrease.
Hello Woods Firefly Viewing
Now, regarding Hello Woods, where we had this experience, specialized staff carefully manage the forest, creating an environment where many creatures can live, making it a habitat where fireflies can also thrive.
Fireflies, glowing with a bluish-green light as they flutter through the air, have been cherished by many people since ancient times. However, in modern brightly lit cities, opportunities to see fireflies are quite rare. Therefore, being able to view fireflies in such a well-preserved, nature-rich environment is a precious experience.
Also, in this activity, a creature expert who is knowledgeable about various living things accompanies the group. They explain not only the ecology of the creatures but also detailed aspects such as how they were born, why they live in this forest, and where they are most commonly found.
Experience the "Night Satoyama Experience Firefly Viewing Tour"!
So, I actually experienced what kind of activity the "Night Satoyama Experience Firefly Viewing Tour" is!
We gathered at Hello Woods at 5:30 p.m. and then moved to the rice paddies called "Hacchoutonbo Terraced Rice Fields," where fireflies appear. At 5:30 p.m., it is still bright, so until the fireflies show up, we observe the creatures living in the rice paddies by scooping them up with nets. The creatures inhabiting the area vary by season, but many species that live only in rice paddies, such as dragonfly larvae and frogs, are hiding there. Around this time in June, it seems that red dragonflies called Akiaakane and Tokyo Daruma frogs are present. On the day, the rice paddies were filled with the sounds of frogs croaking.
As time passed, the sun gradually set, and the fireflies slowly began to gather. Seeing the fireflies glowing in a blue-green light in person created an even more magical atmosphere, a space rarely experienced in the city.
The fireflies communicate by glowing, continuously emitting light as part of their courtship behavior between males and females. Although it is hard to notice with the naked eye, the intensity of the light differs between males and females.
The males have two light organs and fly around the sky flashing strong lights. On the other hand, the females have one light organ and emit a weak light while staying still on grass or leaves, watching the males. When a male and female like each other, they send signals back and forth; the male flies to the female, lands near her, and eventually they mate.
We were able to learn about the ecology of these fireflies from a creature expert accompanying us. Observing the fireflies while listening to the explanations may lead to even more interesting discoveries.
The number of glowing fireflies gradually decreases after peaking at 8 PM. The timing of their glowing is divided into several periods: the first from 7 PM to 8 PM, and the second from 11 PM to 1 AM the following day, with fireflies glowing multiple times during these intervals.
The activity lasts until 9 PM, when the fireflies' light begins to fade, and the three and a half hours passed in the blink of an eye.
As a natural phenomenon, this kind of magical experience was my first, making it a very precious experience.
Fireflies are rarely seen. Since they may not appear depending on the timing, I was very lucky.
At Mobility Resort Motegi, the season runs from late May to early July every year, so if you're interested, why not pay a visit?
