Which cave in New Zealand is famous for its glowworm population?

The Waitomo Glowworm Caves are the New Zealand caves famous for their glowworm population. The attraction is officially called Waitomo Glowworm Cave, or Waitomo Cave, and lies in the North Island’s King Country region.

Its signature inhabitants are Arachnocampa luminosa, a glowworm species endemic to New Zealand. The larvae produce blue-green light and hang sticky silk threads from the cave ceiling. Flying insects are attracted to the glow, become trapped on the threads, and provide food for the larvae.

The cave was explored by local Māori guide Tane Tinorau and surveyor Fred Mace in 1887. Visitors began touring it commercially in 1889, often entering by boat along the underground Waitomo Stream. Today, guided tours still take visitors through the Glowworm Grotto, where the ceiling resembles a starry sky.

The glowworms need darkness, humidity, and a steady supply of insect prey. A ventilation change caused serious population problems in the late 1970s, forcing a temporary closure in 1979. Waitomo is not the only glowworm site in New Zealand, but it is the country’s best-known and most heavily visited example.