In the expansive world of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, critters are more than just ambient life. They are materials for elixirs and armor enhancement. Among them, Deep Fireflies are a unique specimen because they are the only critter that appears in The Depths. Unlike Sunset Fireflies, they do not care about the time of day. In 2026, as players continue exploring Hyrule, the Sky Islands, and the gloomy underground, these pale, lilac-glowing insects remain a valuable resource for specific upgrades.
Why Deep Fireflies Are Special
The Depths is a dark, mirror-like map beneath Hyrule. Most insects such as butterflies and darners spawn on the Surface or Sky Islands, but they will not appear in The Depths. Deep Fireflies are the exception. They are thinner than Sunset Fireflies and emit a pale, almost-lilac glow. This makes them easy to spot in areas that have not yet been illuminated by a Lightroot or Brightbloom Seeds. They prefer wooded areas, so players should search groves and tree-filled pockets rather than open expanses of gloom.
Do players really need to farm them? Only if they want Bright Elixirs or specific armor upgrades. Because they are skittish, catching them can be tedious. But with the right approach, it becomes manageable.
Where to Find Deep Fireflies
There are two especially reliable farming spots in The Depths.
Hyrule Field Chasm and Nisoiji Lightroot
After activating the first Skyview Tower, players can speak to Josha at Lookout Landing and follow her to Robbie. This unlocks the Camera Work in The Depths side quest and the Camera ability. Players then meet Robbie in The Depths. The recommended entry point is the Hyrule Field Chasm, south of Lookout Landing, next to Jiosin Shrine at coordinates (-0240, -0374, 0026). Before diving, Link should have Brightbloom Seeds in his inventory; navigating The Depths without them is difficult, though not impossible.
Each Shrine of Light on the Surface corresponds to a Lightroot in The Depths. After landing at the bottom of Hyrule Field Chasm, players should see the Nisoiji Lightroot nearby. Activating it lights up the surrounding area. A little north of the Lightroot, Deep Fireflies appear around coordinates -0242, -0355, and -0479.
Grove of Time and Nuzimak Lightroot
Another rich area is the Grove of Time at (-0367, -1561, -0467). It lies west of the Nuzimak Lightroot (-0178, -1559, -0473). Players can reach Nuzimak on foot or dive into the Chasms on the Great Plateau. The Grove of Time and Nuzimak Lightroot are northeast of the Great Abandoned Central Mine.
The Grove of Time contains gloom-infested Evermeans. A few hacks with an axe or sword can remove them, or players can toss Fire Fruit or a Bomb Flower to set them ablaze. However, getting hit by an Evermean in The Depths causes Link to permanently lose a heart due to gloom. Gloom damage can be recovered at Lightroots, but it is still unwise to let Evermeans get too close.
In the Grove of Time, a large tree stump at (-0375, -1573, -0472) houses a treasure chest, an Evermean, and a group of Deep Fireflies. The Evermean springs to life when Link gets too close and scares off the fireflies. The best method is to stand on top of the tree and use the paraglider to glide toward the fireflies. Mash the A button to collect them as Link gets closer.
How to Catch Deep Fireflies Without Scaring Them
Like Sunset Fireflies, Deep Fireflies flee if Link makes too much noise. Players should crouch and slowly walk toward them. Stealth can be increased with Sneaky Elixirs or stealth-enhancing armor such as the Yiga Set or the Sheikah Set. Keep an eye on the Noise Meter in the bottom-right corner of the screen. If the meter fills too much, the fireflies will scatter.
Why not just run in and grab them? Because the game punishes noisy movement. Patience is the real tool here. A slow, quiet approach is far more effective than a sprinting grab.
Uses for Deep Fireflies
Cooking a Deep Firefly with a Monster Part creates a Bright Elixir. As the name implies, consuming a Bright Elixir makes Link emanate a glow, which makes it easier to see when navigating The Depths or pitch-black caves on the Surface. However, Brightbloom Seeds are rather common, and players can also obtain the Miner's Armor Set. Brightbloom Seeds can light up areas from far away when thrown or shot from an arrow. Each piece of the Miner's Set glows, and at level 2, Link gains its Set Bonus. Therefore, cooking Deep Fireflies for Bright Elixirs may not be worth the effort for every player.
Deep Fireflies are also used for armor upgrades. In fact, they are a requirement for the Depths Armor Set if players want to enhance it to level 1. Armor upgrading unlocks by completing a chain of side adventures:
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Speak to Traysi at the Lucky Clover Gazette outside Rito Village to get the Potential Princess Sightings! side adventure.
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Go to Woodland Stable and speak to the Stable Trotters and Penn to start Serenade to a Great Fairy.
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Completing Serenade to a Great Fairy unlocks the locations of the remaining three Great Fairies in Hyrule.
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Link must find the missing Stable Trotters member that corresponds to each Great Fairy Fountain. Speaking to Mastro gives hints about where they can be found.
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Each Great Fairy unlocks a level for armor upgrades. To raise armor to level 4 or max level, players must free all of the Great Fairies.
Here is the key armor upgrade requirement:
| Armor Set | Deep Firefly Requirement | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Depths Armor Set | 1 Deep Firefly per piece for ★/level-1 (3 total) | After level 1, players can begin farming materials for level 2. |
The Depths Armor Set is obtained from the giant Poe Statues in The Depths and the one in Lookout Landing. There are seven in total. If players want all pieces, they must track them down. The Depths Armor gives Link gloom resistance, and its Set Bonus gives gloom-attack resistance. Therefore, it may be worth upgrading for players who intend to spend a lot of time in The Depths or fight gloom-enhanced monsters.
Final Thoughts for 2026
In 2026, Tears of the Kingdom remains available for Nintendo Switch, and The Depths still offers one of the most atmospheric challenges in the game. Deep Fireflies are not the most glamorous material, but they serve a clear purpose. For players aiming to complete the Depths Armor Set or experiment with Bright Elixirs, a quiet trip to Nisoiji Lightroot or the Grove of Time is the best plan. Crouch, watch the Noise Meter, glide carefully, and the little lilac lights will soon be Link's.