Glow-worms

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Arachnocampa richardsae
Glow-worms
Greater Sydney / Blue Mountains
NSW, Australia


Glow-worms are insects having a bioluminescent larval stage.

The roof of a cave / overhang covered with glow-worms can look remarkably like a blue starry night sky ... due to the collective bioluminescent glow from the larvae.

The larva hangs down sticky silk threads from the ceiling of a cave.  The glow from its head attracts prey and ensnare them in the threads.

Generally glow-worms have few predators.
Their greatest danger is from human interference.

More details are in wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arachnocampa



Photos/videos here are from my trips:

- 2024-Jun-08  Night walk
Birdwood Gully, Springwood, NSW

Detailed trip report:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2024/06/birdwood-gully-blue-mountains-nsw.html

- 2024-Mar-07  Night walk
Birdwood Gully, Springwood, NSW

- 2023-Dec-16  Abseil & swims at night
Grand Canyon, Blackheath, NSW

- 2020-Jul-11  Bushwalk
Glowworm Tunnel, Gardens of Stone NP, NSW



1)  Video: Glow-worm moving in UV light.

- Location: Birdwood Gully, Springwood

- Note: Slightly clearer videos are in:
YouTube: https://youtube.com/shorts/qHG3q9e_F48
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C4Q9FUZCOUK/

Video by: John Graham

2)  Location: Birdwood Gully, Springwood

Photographer: John Graham

3)  Location: Grand Canyon, Blackheath

Photographer: John Graham

4)  Location: Glowworm Tunnel, Gardens of Stone NP

Photographer: Yours Truly 😊

5)  Location: Grand Canyon, Blackheath

Photographer: John Graham

6)  Location: Grand Canyon, Blackheath

Photographer: John Graham

7)  Location: Birdwood Gully, Springwood

Photographer: John Graham

8)  Location: Birdwood Gully, Springwood

Photographer: John Graham

9)  Sticky silk threads hanging down from ceiling.
Location: Grand Canyon, Blackheath

Photographer: John Graham

10)  Sticky silk threads hanging down from ceiling.
Location: Birdwood Gully, Springwood

Photographer: John Graham

11)  Sticky silk threads hanging down from ceiling.
Location: Birdwood Gully, Springwood

Photographer: Melody Guo

12)  Location: Birdwood Gully, Springwood

Photographer: Elizabeth Zhu

13)  Location: Birdwood Gully, Springwood

Photographer: Elizabeth Zhu

14)  Location: Birdwood Gully, Springwood

Photographer: John Graham

15)  Location: Birdwood Gully, Springwood

Photographer: John Graham

16)  Location: Birdwood Gully, Springwood

Photographer: John Graham

17) A glow-worm and its sticky silk threads.
Under ultra-violet & red lights combination, they show up nicely.
Location: Birdwood Gully, Springwood

Photographer: Yours Truly 😊

Detailed report on the 2024-June-08 trip, to see the glow-worms, is in this link:
https://mntviews.blogspot.com/2024/06/birdwood-gully-blue-mountains-nsw.html

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