A Bali farm has released nearly 20,000 fireflies

A family farm in Taro, Bali, has released nearly 20,000 firefly larvae and adults, and local counts have been rising slowly. Mongabay reported on November 10, 2026, that Wayan Wardika founded Bring Back the Light in 2020. Lead scientist Cindy Chayani said the breeding tanks are built to feel like the insects' jungle and wetland homes. Larvae can be raised for up to two years. About 90 percent of the adults are released.

Wardika told Mongabay that breeding alone will not keep the insects if the land around them stays poisoned. He is trying to move 35 neighboring farmers off chemical pesticides. The project gives them free compost, made in part from manure of the village's white cattle, and an eco-enzyme spray made from market food waste, and it pays them back for losses during the switch. Four farmers have adopted the system so far, including one who said nobody used to look after the fireflies. Wardika funds the work with firefly visits and sales of organic produce. The news is these releases and the four farms. It is not a recovery of fireflies across Bali.