The Glow-worm in Britain
The Glow Worm, Lampyris noctiluca
Top, left: Male; top, right: female
Bottom: larva
Family: Lampyridae
Length: male 10-12mm, female 15-20mm
Glow-worms are beetles that showmarked differences between the sexes. The male looks like a typical beetle,
though its head is hidden by the thoracic shield (or pronotum) and its wing-cases (elytra) are rather flimsy.
The female, however, never develops any wings and resembles a larva.
The female produces a luminescent light from the end of her abdomento attract males (hence their common name).
Adults and larvae eat snails. Their heads are long and thin to reach inside the snail shells.
They are commonest on unimproved grasslands, particularly if they are on chalk or limestone.
Glow-worms are fairly widespread, but nowhere particularly common.
Sadly Glow-worm numbers seem to be falling and they are being lost from many of their former haunts.
One other species from the family Lampyridae is found in Britain.
This is the Lesser Glow-worm, Phosphaenus hemipterus.
It is smaller and the male has only rudimentary wings.
It is rare in southern England.
The illustration on this page is taken from some forthcoming educational material for the Hawk and Owl Trust, produced by Peregrine Productions.
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