Glow-worms feeding 2024
Along a towpath bordering the banks of the mighty Potomac River, eerie green lights on the ground mark the location of glow-worms. The red dot is produced by the video camera. Light is produced by white luminescent organs beneath the abdomen of the larva. Daylight gives us a better look at the fast-moving glow-worm. Watch as a pair of glow-worms feast on an earthworm. Neurotoxins injected into the worm through sharp hollow jaws immobilize the prey. Digestive enzymes secreted by the larva liquify the worm’s tissues and then the glow-worms slurp their liquid feast. Glow-worms help rid our gardens of pests like slugs, snails, and other soil-dwelling insect pests.