New Zealand has gained quite the reputation for being home to some of the planets most stunning landscapes, and it appears that everything isn’t necessarily found above ground! The limestone caves found in the Waitomo area a prime example of this, thanks to one particular resident – glow worms. These peculiar insects release a phosphorescent glow that helps to illuminate the normally dark and dank cave, transforming it into a majestic location that is a sight to behold. While heading into the cave network with lanterns common practice, any time they go out you can expect to be treated to one of nature’s best light shows. As you can tell by these incredible photographs, the caves are lit up like a starry night. In fact, the worms were photographed in a similar fashion to how starts are captured in the night. Long exposure times are required, ranging from 30 seconds to six minutes, meaning the photographer had to stand in these caves for 6-8 hours to achieve such stunning images!
Photos: shaunjeffersphotography.com
