Glowworm

Rights Managed

SS2440448

BT0264

A variety of invertebrates go by the name of glowworm. One kind of glowworm in North America is a larval mycetocephalid fly, Orfelia fultoni. The larval flies spin a web like a spider, hence another common name, 'web worm.' Also like a spider, they eat the insects that they capture in their webs. To attract insects to their webs, glowworms have two lanterns in their bodies that produce a bright blue light. The light draws nocturnal insects into the webs, where they are consumed by the larval flies. This species was photographed in Alabama (2010).

Danté Fenolio / Science Source