A small farming village in central Taiwan has found a way to balance the needs of some of its smallest residents -- fireflies -- and the tourists who come to see them.
Tahsuehshan farming community is home to swarms of fireflies. Unfortunately, street lights for the village's human residents are too bright for the fireflies, who refuse to multiply in appreciable numbers under the lights.
Residents, hoping to replenish the population of fireflies, have turned off many street lights over the past three years and the fireflies have responded by returning to the area.
The problem is that tourists walking the darkened mountain trails to see the fireflies are in danger of falling or getting lost.
To address the situation, village authorities studied the problem for a year and, with the help of Philips Electronics Taiwan, came up with a solution -- light the pathways with low-level green LED lights.
The lights will cost NT$1 million (US$29,850) but will provide a natural environment in which the fireflies can live and allow those who wish to watch them to experience the sight in as close to natural conditions as possible.
The Philips LED lights have a life span of over 50,000 hours.
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