Photographer Captures Magical Sight of Fireflies Dancing in a Japanese Forest at Night

 

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While cherry blossom season marks the beginning of spring in Japan, there’s an equally beautiful natural phenomenon that happens in the summer. Beginning in June, Hime-hotaru fireflies illuminate the forests in a breathtaking display that looks just like a star-studded night sky. Japanese photographer and CG artist Yutaka Kagaya (aka KAGAYA) recently captured this otherworldly occasion with a stunning photo of fireflies dancing around a field of hydrangeas at night.

To us, it appears that the lightning bugs are putting on a dazzling display, but their twinkling lights have a biological significance. The illumination acts as mating signals; each species has its own pattern that lets them identify appropriate mates of the same species. Due to pollution, the Hime-hotaru population is sadly decreasing, so it's fortunate that Kagaya was able to capture the rare magical moment when hundreds of them fluttered through the forest.

When he’s not taking photos of nature, Kagaya captures the beauty of the cosmos with his telescopic camera. Scroll down to see some images from his portfolio and find more of his photos on Twitter and Instagram. If you love Kagaya's work, you can buy his recently-released photo book on Amazon.

Japanese photographer Yutaka Kagaya captured the magical moment when fireflies danced around a forest field of hydrangea at night.

 

When he’s not taking photos of nature, Kagaya captures the beauty of the cosmos with his telescopic camera.

The talented photographer recently released a photo book featuring his best images.

Yutaka Kagaya: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter
h/t: [Grapee]

All images via Yutaka Kagaya.

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Emma Taggart

Emma Taggart is a Contributing Writer at My Modern Met. Originally from Northern Ireland, she is an artist now based in Berlin. After graduating with a BA in Fashion and Textile Design in 2013, Emma decided to combine her love of art with her passion for writing. Emma has contributed to various art and culture publications, with an aim to promote and share the work of inspiring modern creatives. While she writes every day, she’s also devoted to her own creative outlet—Emma hand-draws illustrations and is currently learning 2D animation.
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