Photo of a glowworm on a stick.

Glowworm is the common name for various different species of insect larva and adult larviform females which glow through bioluminescence. They may resemble worms, but all are insects (Arachnocampa being a fly and all the others being beetles). The major families are: Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (988x716, 55 KB) Photo of a glowworm on a stick. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (988x716, 55 KB) Photo of a glowworm on a stick. ... A larva (Latin; plural larvae) is a juvenile form of animal with indirect development, undergoing metamorphosis (for example, insects or amphibians). ... Larviform females occur in many different insect groups, including many beetle species. ... Image of hundreds of agar plates cultured with a species of bioluminescent marine bacteria displayed in a pattern as an art exhibit called Bioglyphs at Montana State University–Bozeman. ... A worm is an elongated soft-bodied invertebrate animal. ... Suborders Nematocera Brachycera Dance fly male Empis tesselata The flesh fly, Sarcophaga carnaria Close-up of the head of a blow-fly. ... Suborders Adephaga Archostemata Myxophaga Polyphaga See subgroups of the order Coleoptera Wikispecies has information related to: Coleoptera Beetles are the most diverse group of insects. ...

• Lampyridae (fireflies), found around the world. The wingless adult female is the glowworm of literature.

• Phengodidae, found in North America and South America.

• Arachnocampa (formerly called Bolitiphila), found in New Zealand and Australia.

The glow in each case is a blue-green colour. The so-called railroad worms in the Phengodidae family have an additional red light at their head. The glow is produced by different organs in the different families, suggesting they evolved separately. The chemical reaction in each case is very efficient; nearly 100% of the energy input is turned into light (compared to man-made fluorescent lamps at just 60%). Genera Curtos Cyphonocerus Drilaster Ellychnia Hotaria Lampyris Lucidina Luciola - (Japanese fireflies) Photinus - (common eastern firefly) Photuris Pristolycus Pyractomena Pyrocoelia Stenocladius Fireflies (family Lampyridae), also known as lightning bugs, are nocturnal, luminous beetles. ... Genera about 30 genera The beetle family Phengodidae (LeConte, 1861) is known also as glowworm beetles or glowworms. ... World map showing North America A satellite composite image of North America. ... South America South America is a continent crossed by the equator, with most of its area in the Southern Hemisphere. ... Species see text Arachnocampa is the scientific name for a genus of four fungus gnat species which are, in their larval stage, glowworms. ... Species several The railroad worm is a larva or larviform adult of beetles of the genus Phrixothrix in family Phengodidae, characterized by their unique possession of two different colors of bioluminescence. ... In 1832, while travelling on the Beagle, naturalist Charles Darwin collected giant fossils in South America. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

The purpose of the glow varies. Those adult females which glow do so to attract a male for mating. The Lampyridae larvae are believed to glow as a warning signal (see aposematism) to predators like toads not to eat them as they're mildly toxic. But the Arachnocampa larvae on the other hand glow to attract prey like midges into sticky snare lines for the larva to feed on. Genera Curtos Cyphonocerus Drilaster Ellychnia Hotaria Lampyris Lucidina Luciola - (Japanese fireflies) Photinus - (common eastern firefly) Photuris Pristolycus Pyractomena Pyrocoelia Stenocladius Fireflies (family Lampyridae), also known as lightning bugs, are nocturnal, luminous beetles. ... The bright colours of this Yellow-winged Darter dragonfly serve as a warning to predators of its noxious taste. ... Families At least 9, see article. ... Species see text Arachnocampa is the scientific name for a genus of four fungus gnat species which are, in their larval stage, glowworms. ... Midges on a car Midges are small, two-winged flying insects. ...

See also

Articles about groups of glowworms:

• Arachnocampa
• Lampyridae
• Phengodidae
• Railroad worm

Articles about glowworm locations: Species see text Arachnocampa is the scientific name for a genus of four fungus gnat species which are, in their larval stage, glowworms. ... Genera Curtos Cyphonocerus Drilaster Ellychnia Hotaria Lampyris Lucidina Luciola - (Japanese fireflies) Photinus - (common eastern firefly) Photuris Pristolycus Pyractomena Pyrocoelia Stenocladius Fireflies (family Lampyridae), also known as lightning bugs, are nocturnal, luminous beetles. ... Genera about 30 genera The beetle family Phengodidae (LeConte, 1861) is known also as glowworm beetles or glowworms. ... Species several The railroad worm is a larva or larviform adult of beetles of the genus Phrixothrix in family Phengodidae, characterized by their unique possession of two different colors of bioluminescence. ...

• Glow-Worm Caves Tambourine Mountain, South-East Queensland, Australia
• Newnes Glow Worm Tunnel, Blue Mountains, Australia
• Natural Bridge, Queensland, Gold Coast hinterland, Australia
• Te Ana-au Caves, New Zealand (south island)
• Waitomo Caves, New Zealand (north island)
• Wellington Botanic Garden, New Zealand

Glow-Worm Caves Tambourine Mountain is a tourist attraction at Tambourine Mountain in South-East Queensland, Australia. ... Newnes Glow Worm Tunnel is located in the Wolgan Valley which is part of the Wolemi National Park. ... Springbrook is a national park in Queensland, (Australia), 78 km south of Brisbane. ... The Te Ana-au caves are located on the western bank of Lake Te Anau in the southwest of New Zealand. ... The Waitomo Caves are located in the southern Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand, 20 kilometres northwest of Te Kuiti. ... The Wellington Botanic Garden, Wellington, New Zealand, cover 25 hectares of land on the side of the hill between Thorndon and Kelburn, near central Wellington. ...

References

• Glow worm article, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15th edition

• Glow-worm article in the Encyclopaedia of New Zealand 1966, at teara.govt.nz

• The Glowworm Lifecycle at waitomocaves.co.nz

• The Harvard Din & Tonics Performers of the song, "Glow worm"

• The UK Glow worm Survey home page

• Raphaël De Cock and Erik Matthysen (2003). Glow-worm larvae bioluminescence (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) operates as an aposematic signal upon toads (Bufo bufo). Behavioral Ecology 14: 103-108.