Scientific Classification
KINGDOM: Animalia
PHYLUM: Arthropoda
CLASS: Insecta
ORDER: Diptera
FAMILY: Keroplatidae
GENUS: Arachnocampa
SPECIES: A. luminosa
Conservation Status
The blue-green light from the glowworm larvae is used to attract insects. Once they fly in close, they are caught in the worm’s hanging silk strands.
Their signature glow is a rather fascinating process created by a chemical reaction. Luciferase reacts with a waste product called luciferin produced in the intestine. These combined with ATP or adenosine triphosphate all react with oxygen to produce the characteristic blue glow seen at the rear of their bodies.
When first recorded in 1871, scientists thought they were related to the Eurpoean glowworm beetle; however, they were later proved to be a gnat and not a beetle.
Arachnocampa luminosa larvae are unique because they’re considered endemic to New Zealand. They are found only in caves and forests on the islands of New Zealand.
Rachnocampa luminosa are found primarily in wet caves and sheltered, humid forests. They usually situate themselves on the ceilings of caves so their traps can hang down from above.
They used to be more common in forests but logging has drastically reduced their numbers.
The larval stage of Arachnocampa luminosa is carnivorous.
The adult stage does not feed at all and its sole purpose is reproduction.
The larvae will weave up to 70 strands of silk fibers that hang from the ceiling. Each strand is covered in sticky droplets of glue and can reach up to 2 feet in length. The worms also weave a network of horizontal strands that connect them to their traps. This network acts like a highway that allows them to move to any strand and reel in their prey.
Depending on how hungry they are, the worms will glow to attract insects. The hungrier the worm is, the brighter the glow. When insects fly towards the light and are caught in the traps, they turn out the lights and reel in the strand and eat!
Each strand that has prey is also recycled to maximize energy savings.
When living in caves, food can be scarce, which is why Arachnocampa luminosa can go weeks or months without food and is why their hunting technique is incredibly energy efficient.
Majority of Arachnocampa luminosa’s life is spent as a larvae or glowworm.
When they hatch from an egg, they measure about 3 millimeters in length and immediately start making strands to catch prey. As they grow, they molt or shed thier skin over the coming months until they are ready to make a cocoon or pupae.
Even when they are at the pupae stage, they still glow. As time goes on, the males will stop glowing but the females will get brighter up until they emerge from the pupae. Oftentimes there will be males waiting right at her doorstep as soon as she comes out.
The adults have an incredibly short life span, only a few days because their sole purpose is to reproduce and lay eggs. They don’t even have mouthparts.
Once the females lays eggs, she dies shortly after and the cycle begins anew.
Their scientific name Arachnocampa luminosa means “spider-like glowing larvae”.
