Rob and I took a four-hour bus ride to a wide spot in the road called Waitimo. Numerous glowworms live in a nearby cave.
As somewhat experts on glowworms, the first sighting of the little starlights did not take our breath away. However, when they turned on the viewing light, we were stunned to see the feeding tubes each extending over one foot. Our guide said that some can be up to a yard long. (Actually, he said one meter!)
When we inquired about the length, the guide said that the mucous feeding tubes reach those lengths here in the caves since there is no wind or rain to break them off. Later, they reel up the feeding tubes for their pupa stage.
Adult moths have no mouth parts so they don’t eat. Their only job is to reproduce and lay eggs. They die within three days. The complete life cycle is 11 months.
We are staying in a bungalow. Our hostess, Lynn, is overly friendly. She wanted to do our laundry, offered to drive us to another local attraction, and made a reservation at a local restaurant for us.
Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu is the longest place name in the world. It means ‘the hill on which Tamatea, the chief of great physical stature and renown, played a lament on his flute to the memory of his brother’. It is on the East Coast if the North Island. Good thing we aren’t going there!!!
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