Native Glowworms, New Zealand

Well, before anything I would like to wish Happy Easter to everyone celebrating it today (Here in Macedonia we shall have Easter next week, in accordance with the Orthodox Calendar...)

But instead of Easter stamps, today we shall follow the regular alphabet and so far we have reached the letter G in the second round, which brings me to this New Zealandian issue of Glowworms.

Due to the colours, it is probably a bit difficult to distinguish, what's what, but what we have here first is the FDC, and later you can see the Presentation Pack for this issue.

Despite what the name suggests, glowworms aren’t true worms - they’re the larval stage of the fungus gnat. The fungus gnat can glow at all stages of its life (except in the egg stage), but it’s during the larval stage that it shines the brightest. The famous blue-green ‘glow’ is a chemical reaction created in what is the glowworm equivalent of the human kidney. The total life cycle of the fungus gnat takes around 11 months, with the glowworm stage being the longest in the life cycle, averaging around nine months. The New Zealand native glowworm is scientifically known as Arachnocampa luminosa, and although it is most spectacular when seen in caves, it’s common outside caves too, favouring damp, warm conditions with a good supply of food.

The four stamps in the collection feature glowworms from locations across New Zealand – including Ruakuri Cave in Waitomo and within the presentation pack one can read detailed information regarding the life cycle, as well as information regarding each of the glowworms' caves featured.

- 80 c -Mangawhitikau Cave, described by Sir David Attenborough as “astonishing”, is famous for its extensive display of glowworms. Tours depart from the Spellbound office located in the Waitomo Caves village and artificial lights are kept out during the tours so the glowworms can be viewed in their full glory.

- $1.40 - Nikau Cave is located in Waikaretu, a sheep and cattle farming area approximately 90 minutes' drive southwest of Auckland. This delightful tourist cave was known to Māori and early settlers. Privately owned, the cave has no paths, handrails or lights. Tourists take torches and clamber up a streambed beneath stalactites, shawls and delicate straws.

 - $2.00 - Ruakurī was the ‘wildest’ of the early Waitomo tourist caves – with hidden waterfalls, ‘a ghost walk’, galleries and decorated chambers. It was named for the wild dogs (kurī) that lived in the cave entrance, which was used by Māori long before Europeans arrived.

 - $2.50 - The Waipū Caves are in a scenic reserve about 10 kilometres inland from the little boutique village of Waipū. They were first used as tourist caves in the 1870s, a decade before Waitomo Caves, when tourists were transported by horse and buggy.

Unfortunately, the actual glowing cannot be seen on the stamps here (but the actual stamps do glow in the dark after being exposed to light), but if you ever have or have had the chance to visit one of these caves, do share the experience :)

For more G stamps, follow this link :)