Larvae live for two years, feeding on snails mainly at night, and lying dormant under shelter in winter. Shortly before they pupate for 10 to 15 days in their third summer, they wander in daylight seeking a suitable place to do so. Generations overlap as a survival strategy.

 

Threats to Glow-worms:

 

• habitat destruction and deterioration;

• fragmentation of colonies reducing genetic diversity;

• artificial lighting luring males away from glowing females so eggs are not laid;

• poisoning by insecticides and eating snails contaminated by chemicals;

• loss of snails killed by pesticide or lost habitat;

• frequent, close grass mowing and disturbance, especially during glowing months.

 

Natural predators are few, possibly due to their taste: hedgehogs eat them, and bats may catch flying males.

 

Glow-worms' special problems:

 

• larvae travel only short distances;

• males fly, but conserve energy in winds and rain by not doing so;

• adult females conserve energy for egg production by being wingless and static.

 

Ideal territory:

 

• large mosaics of “unimproved” grassland;

• scrub and varied woodland supporting snails;

• open spaces or edges to enable females to display;

• winter sanctuaries such as holes among stones, bases of trees or inside dead plant stems.

 

Such places are now rare. Fineshade Wood is an important relic, which deserves to be monitored and managed in the Glow-worm's best interests.

 

First find your glow-worm!

 

Fortunately the glows of the adult female will attract you, as well as her own species. She climbs up and back down the same grass stalk on track verges and paths, which are also accessible for us to walk along at night.

Look in daylight for open areas off-track and wait for dark, or note how to re-locate such potential display areas at night.