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Glow Worm

Arachnocampa luminosa

Last updated: January 3, 2021
Verified by: AZ Animals Staff

Found inhabiting dense woodland and caves!

Continue Reading after the facts...


Glow Worm Scientific Classification

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Arthropoda
Class
Insecta
Order
Coleoptera
Family
Lampyridae
Scientific Name
Arachnocampa luminosa

Glow Worm Conservation Status

  • Near Threatened

Glow Worm Locations

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Central-America
  • Eurasia
  • Europe
  • North-America
  • Oceania
  • South-America
Glow Worm Locations

Glow Worm Facts

Main Prey
Snails, Slugs, Insects
Habitat
Undisturbed woodland and caves
Predators
Spiders, Birds, Centipedes
Diet
Omnivore
Average Litter Size
75
Favorite Food
Snails
Common Name
Glow Worm
Number Of Species
12
Location
Worldwide
Slogan
Found inhabiting dense woodland and caves!

Glow Worm Physical Characteristics

Colour
  • Brown
  • Yellow
  • Red
  • Black
  • Green
Skin Type
Shell

Glow Worm Images

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The glow worm is a medium to large sized invertebrate that is famous for having a green and yellow coloured light on the end of its tail.

Glow worms are found inhabiting dense woodland and caves around the world with the exception of the Americas and glow worms are one of the few insects that are found inside the colder Arctic Circle. Glow worms are nocturnal animals which means that they are active during the dark night which is when their glowing rears can be seen.

Glow worm is the common name for various different groups of insect larva and adult larviform females which glow through bioluminescence. Glow worms may sometimes resemble actual worms, but all are insects as one species of glow worm is a type of fly but most glow worms species are actually beetles.

It is only the female glow worms that actually glow as they spend around 2 hours every night in the mating season with their bottoms in the air, trying to attract a mate. The male glow worms are attracted to the glowing object in the foliage but have also been known to be attracted to man-made lighting such as street lights.

Glow worms are most commonly seen in the UK between June and October and their green-lit tails tend to show up most clearly when the sun goes down at dusk. Legend says that early humans used to use glow worms to mark paths and provide light in huts. Glow worms were thought to have some kind of magical power and so people would also use the glow worm in medicines.

Glow worms are omnivorous animals but they tend to have a very meat-based diet. Glow worms predominantly prey on snails and slugs which make up the majority of the glow worm’s diet. Glow worms also prey on other insects and small invertebrates.

Due to their small size and the fact that they glow in the darkness, glow worms have numerous natural predators within their environment including spiders, large insects, birds, reptiles and centipedes.

Typically, the female glow worm lays between 50 and 100 eggs in moist areas, over a period of a few days. The tiny glow worm eggs are yellow in colour and can take between 3 and 6 weeks to hatch depending on the climate (the warmer it is, the faster the glow worm eggs will hatch).

Glow worms are considered to be an animal species that are threatened with extinction as the glow worm population numbers are drastically decreasing. The main reason for the lower number of glow worms is thought to be the expansion of human civilisations. Glow worms are known to be particularly vulnerable to changes in their environment including habitat loss, noise and pollution.

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Glow Worm FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) 

Are Glow Worms herbivores, carnivores, or omnivores?

Glow Worms are Omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and other animals.

What Kingdom do Glow Worms belong to?

Glow Worms belong to the Kingdom Animalia.

What phylum do Glow Worms belong to?

Glow Worms belong to the phylum Arthropoda.

What class do Glow Worms belong to?

Glow Worms belong to the class Insecta.

What family do Glow Worms belong to?

Glow Worms belong to the family Lampyridae.

What order do Glow Worms belong to?

Glow Worms belong to the order Coleoptera.

What type of covering do Glow Worms have?

Glow Worms are covered in Shells.

Where do Glow Worms live?

Glow Worms are found worldwide.

In what type of habitat do Glow Worms live?

Glow Worms live in undisturbed woodland and caves.

What is the main prey for Glow Worms?

Glow Worms prey on snails, slugs, and insects.

What are some predators of Glow Worms?

Predators of Glow Worms include spiders, birds, and centipedes.

How many babies do Glow Worms have?

The average number of babies a Glow Worm has is 75.

What is an interesting fact about Glow Worms?

Glow Worms are found to inhabit dense woodland and caves!

What is the scientific name for the Glow Worm?

The scientific name for the Glow Worm is Arachnocampa luminosa.

Sources
  1. David Burnie, Dorling Kindersley (2011) Animal, The Definitive Visual Guide To The World's Wildlife
  2. Tom Jackson, Lorenz Books (2007) The World Encyclopedia Of Animals
  3. David Burnie, Kingfisher (2011) The Kingfisher Animal Encyclopedia
  4. Richard Mackay, University of California Press (2009) The Atlas Of Endangered Species
  5. David Burnie, Dorling Kindersley (2008) Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Animals
  6. Dorling Kindersley (2006) Dorling Kindersley Encyclopedia Of Animals

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