Fireflies can become one of those Graveyard Keeper 2 resources that suddenly matters a lot more than expected. They are especially important for Insect Bait, and once fishing starts demanding a steady supply, wandering around hoping random bushes drop enough Fireflies can become a serious time sink.
The good news? There is a much more reliable farming route. Night Flowers in the Swamp are currently the best documented Firefly source, giving 1 Firefly whenever you pick one. Rhododendron Bushes can also provide Fireflies as a chance-based bonus, while Gunter, the Astrologer, sells them for players who would rather spend money than gather them.
If you are trying to stockpile Fireflies for fishing, the Swamp should be your main destination. Once you know what to look for, the whole process becomes much less of a scavenger hunt.
Where to Find Fireflies in Graveyard Keeper 2
There are three main ways to get Fireflies:
- Pick Night Flowers in the Swamp
- Gather Rhododendron Bushes
- Buy Fireflies from Gunter, the Astrologer
For dedicated Firefly farming, Night Flowers are the most consistent option because current item data lists a guaranteed Firefly from each picked flower.
Once your Firefly supply is sorted, the Vineyard has another puzzle waiting: figuring out where the Vine Press actually goes. For more, follow our full walkthrough of Graveyard Keeper 2 Vine Press Guide: Where to Build It, How to Unlock It, and What It Makes
1. Farm Night Flowers in the Swamp
The Swamp, located south of the Forest, is the key location for Firefly farming.
Night Flowers are special plants found along the route toward the Swamp. Their name is a pretty obvious clue about their nighttime association, and players have specifically noticed their connection with Fireflies.
Current item data shows that a Night Flower:
- Gives 2–3 Night Flowers when picked
- Gives 1 Firefly when picked
- Regrows after roughly 25 minutes
That guaranteed Firefly makes Night Flowers far more dependable than simply checking random vegetation.
How to Spot Night Flowers
When you reach the Swamp, look for the distinctive flowers that stand out from the surrounding vegetation.
Steam players discussing Fireflies have also pointed out these special Swamp flowers. One player described them this way:
“In swamp there are special flowers that you can only pick at night. They are lit by fireflies. I’m not going to say they always give a firefly but its a very high rate.”
However, another player later clarified an important detail:
“You can get them during the day as well, they are the ones that are stationary”
That distinction matters. While the flowers are associated with nighttime and can be easier to identify then, current item data lists Night Flowers as a direct Firefly source and does not make nighttime a requirement for collecting them.
So, you do not need to wait until darkness before making your Firefly run.
If you’re hopping between games while your Night Flowers regrow, here’s how to get through a training objective that sends players in circles. For more, check out our step-by-step guide to Project Slayers 2 Meditation Guide: How to Meditate and Complete the Training
How to Unlock the Swamp
Before you can turn the Swamp into your personal Firefly farm, you need to unlock access to the area.
The Swamp is south of the Forest, beyond the bridge controlled by the bandits. Current area information lists these requirements:
- Royal Pardon
- Fairy’s Swamp Map
Once those requirements are met, travel through the Forest toward the Swamp and start searching for Night Flowers.
Still locked out? Progress through the relevant story route first. Until the Swamp becomes accessible, this particular Firefly farming method will not be available to you.
2. Gather Rhododendron Bushes
Rhododendron Bushes are another way to obtain Fireflies while exploring.
Current item data lists a 40% chance of getting an additional Firefly when gathering from a Rhododendron Bush.
That makes these bushes worth checking whenever you encounter them, especially when you are already exploring or gathering other resources. However, they are not as predictable as Night Flowers because the Firefly is chance-based.
For a serious Firefly stockpile, prioritize Night Flowers and treat Rhododendron Bushes as an extra source rather than building your entire farming route around them.
3. Buy Fireflies From Gunter
Gathering is not your only option. When you need Fireflies quickly, you can simply buy them from Gunter, the Astrologer.
Gunter can be found at the Astrologer’s Tower at the Port. Current item data lists Fireflies among his available goods, with a starting stock of 20.
This is easily the straightforward option when you need Fireflies immediately. However, regularly buying them may not be the most practical long-term strategy if you are going through large quantities for fishing bait.
The Steam discussion also confirms this purchase option, with multiple players directing others toward the Astrologer. One player summed up the choices:
“Swamp, or buy from Astrologist.”
Once the Swamp is unlocked, gathering Night Flowers gives you a renewable source, while Gunter remains a useful backup when you need Fireflies without waiting for a farming run.
What Are Fireflies Used For?
The big reason Fireflies suddenly become valuable is Insect Bait.
The recipe is:
4 Fireflies → 4 Insect Bait
Insect Bait is crafted at a Kitchen Table or Kitchen Table II.
The recipe is unlocked through Fishing III and requires Farming Mastery 4.
So, once you have reached the required progression, Fireflies become part of your regular fishing preparation. You are not dealing with a useless collectible or a one-off quest resource—the game gives them an ongoing purpose through bait crafting.
How to Craft Insect Bait
Once you have unlocked the recipe and collected enough Fireflies, crafting is straightforward:
- Return to your house.
- Use the Kitchen Table or Kitchen Table II.
- Open the fishing-related crafting recipes.
- Select Insect Bait.
- Add 4 Fireflies.
- Craft the batch.
One crafting operation produces 4 pieces of Insect Bait.
There is no separate crafting station specifically for Fireflies. The current recipe data confirms that Insect Bait is made at the Kitchen Table and requires Fishing III plus Farming Mastery 4.
Which Fish Use Insect Bait?
Once fishing becomes a bigger part of your progression, that Firefly stockpile starts making even more sense.
Current fishing data lists Insect Bait as compatible with:
- Eel
- Frog
- Goldfish
- Salmon
- Swamp Ghost
- Trout
- Tuna
The fish you can actually encounter also depends on your fishing location and the time of day.
For example, the Swamp has several fish that can respond to Insect Bait, including Eel and Swamp Ghost, while the Forest and Port have their own separate fish pools.
That means your Firefly farming can directly feed into a broader fishing routine, especially once you start targeting specific fish.
The Best Firefly Farming Route
For players who need multiple Fireflies for bait, the most dependable strategy is simple: make the Swamp your primary farming destination.
Fast Firefly Farming Route
Step 1: Unlock access to the Swamp.
Step 2: Travel south from the Forest into the Swamp.
Step 3: Search the area for Night Flowers.
Step 4: Pick every Night Flower you find.
Step 5: Collect the 1 guaranteed Firefly from each picked Night Flower.
Step 6: While you are there, gather other Night Flowers and check Rhododendron Bushes for their chance-based Firefly bonus.
Step 7: Return once the plants have regrown when you need another supply.
Night Flowers currently have a regrowth time of roughly 25 minutes, giving you a renewable gathering route instead of forcing you to constantly search for untouched plants.
And that is the key difference: once the Swamp is unlocked, Firefly farming becomes something you can repeat rather than a resource hunt based entirely on luck.
Do You Have to Farm Fireflies at Night?
No.
This is worth clearing up because player observations on Steam can make the mechanic sound more restrictive than it actually is.
One player reported that the special Swamp flowers could only be picked at night because they were lit by Fireflies. Another player specifically corrected that idea by saying:
“You can get them during the day as well, they are the ones that are stationary”
Current item data supports the broader interpretation: Night Flowers are a gatherable Firefly source and are not limited to nighttime collection.
Their name and appearance can make them seem like a strictly nighttime resource, but you do not have to sit around waiting for night before farming them.
Should You Check Ordinary Bushes?
Yes—but think of them as bonus opportunities.
Rhododendron Bushes can provide an additional Firefly with a 40% chance, so checking them during normal exploration can help increase your supply.
The problem is consistency. A chance-based source cannot guarantee how many Fireflies you will receive from a particular bush.
Night Flowers are much easier to plan around because the current data gives you a clear expectation: 1 Firefly per picked Night Flower.
So, for targeted Firefly farming, prioritize the flowers and collect Rhododendron Bushes whenever they naturally fit into your route.
Why Insect Bait Feels So Expensive
The Firefly requirement can feel surprisingly brutal when you first start making Insect Bait.
The Steam discussion itself came from a player questioning the cost:
“The bait wants 4, which seems ridiculous, compared to the bread one, where I can easily whip out hundreds of them.”
The difference becomes clearer when you look at the fishing progression. Breadcrumb Bait uses Bread, while Insect Bait requires the less common Firefly resource.
Fortunately, you are not forced to depend entirely on Gunter’s shop.
Once the Swamp is available, Night Flowers provide a renewable gathering route, allowing you to build up Fireflies without repeatedly spending money at the Astrologer’s shop.
Fireflies: Quick Farming Breakdown
Need the answer without all the wandering around? Here is the essential Firefly setup:
| Resource | Details |
| Best source | Night Flowers in the Swamp |
| Firefly yield | 1 Firefly per picked Night Flower |
| Night Flower yield | 2–3 Night Flowers |
| Night Flower regrowth | Roughly 25 minutes |
| Secondary source | Rhododendron Bushes |
| Rhododendron Firefly chance | 40% chance of an additional Firefly |
| Buy from | Gunter, the Astrologer |
| Gunter’s location | Astrologer’s Tower at the Port |
| Starting Firefly stock | 20 |
| Main use | Insect Bait |
| Insect Bait recipe | 4 Fireflies → 4 Insect Bait |
| Crafting station | Kitchen Table or Kitchen Table II |
| Recipe requirement | Fishing III + Farming Mastery 4 |
For the fishing side, Insect Bait is currently compatible with Eel, Frog, Goldfish, Salmon, Swamp Ghost, Trout, and Tuna, although the fish available to you still depend on the fishing location and time of day.
The Swamp itself is south of the Forest, beyond the bandit-controlled bridge, and access requires Royal Pardon and Fairy’s Swamp Map.
After a night of gathering in the Swamp, another game sends you hunting one of its rarest bosses after dark. For more, dive into our full breakdown of Project Slayers 2 Muzan Guide: All Locations, 9 Spider Lilies, and the Fastest Demon Quest Route
Final Firefly Farming Tip
Once you unlock the Swamp, stop treating Fireflies like some mysterious random drop.
Night Flowers are your main target. Pick them, collect the guaranteed Fireflies, check Rhododendron Bushes along the way, and make another trip after the flowers have had roughly 25 minutes to regrow. When you need Fireflies immediately, Gunter at the Astrologer’s Tower in the Port gives you another option, with a starting stock of 20.
That combination gives you both a renewable farming route and a convenient backup.
So, when Insect Bait starts eating through your Firefly supply, head for the Swamp, hunt down those Night Flowers, and start building a stockpile for your next fishing session.
Disclaimer: Graveyard Keeper 2 is receiving updates, so item locations, drop rates, recipes, and NPC inventories may change in future patches. This guide reflects the game information available in September 2026.
Featured Image Credit: Lazy Bear Games / TinyBuild
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