Arachnocampa luminosa
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~70%
Arachnocampa luminosa (Skuse, 1891), commonly known as New Zealand glowworm or simply glowworm, is a species of fungus gnat solely endemic to New Zealand. The larval stage and the imago produce a blue-green bioluminescence. The species is known to dwell in caves and on sheltered banks in the native bush where humidity is high, as moisture helps to maintain their silk structures that capture prey. Its Māori names are pūrātoke, from the verb "to glow", and titiwai, meaning "lights reflected in water." This likely derives from the glowworms' presence near bodies of water, where their luminous displays are reflected.
Arachnocampa luminosa is widespread across both the North and the South Island of New Zealand, although populations generally occur in cave systems and in native bush where prey species are available and humidity is high. They shelter in caves or crevices that provide suitable darkness and protect their silk snares from air currents, near bodies of thick mud or still water where their insectine prey can breed.
Some sites have become popular destinations for tourists wanting to see the glowworms. These include the caves in Waitomo, Waipu, Inglewood... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fiordland National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 2 | Egmont National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand | |
| 3 | Abel Tasman National Park | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auckland | 🇳🇿 New Zealand |
Possible
About 20% of wildlife watchers report a New Zealand Glowworm sighting in Fiordland National Park on a given day, based on 31 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 12th most-seen of the 201 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 70%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February–April, August and November–December
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a New Zealand Glowworm in Fiordland National Park on a given day, against under 5% in May–July and September, the lowest months.
Between 8 and 11 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most New Zealand Glowworm sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is seen both by day and at night.
Yes
Of the 3 parks where we can rate New Zealand Glowworm sightings, Fiordland National Park has the highest daily chance: about 20%. Next come Egmont National Park (New Zealand, about 10%) and Abel Tasman National Park (New Zealand, about 10%).
Same order: Diptera
The closest relatives of the New Zealand Glowworm that you can see in Fiordland National Park (order Diptera, Flies) are New Zealand Blue Blowfly (about 10%), Large Hover Fly (about 10%) and Rhamphophila sinistra (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the New Zealand Glowworm is recorded against all the insects logged in Fiordland National Park (31 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
