THE COMMON GLOW WORM. 485 



THE COMMON GLOW-WORM. 



During the summer season these insects are observed after suneet 

 in meadows, bj road sides, and near bushes. 



They are chiefly to be seen during the 

 months of June and July. In the day-time 

 they conceal themselves amongst the leaves 

 of plants. 



Each sex is luminous, but in the male the 

 light is less brilliant than in the female, and 

 ifl confined to four points, two of which are 

 situated on each side of the two last rings commoh qlow-worii, 



of the abdomen. The utility of the bright 



light of the feniales is supposed to consist in attracting the attention 

 of the males during the dark, when, only, they are able to render 

 themselves conspicuous. They always become much more lucid 

 when they put themselves in motion. This would seem to indicate 

 that their light is owing to their respiration; in which process, 

 it is probable, phosphoric acid is produced by the combination of 

 oxygen gas with some part of the blood, and that a light is given out 

 through their transparent bodies by this slow internal combustion. By 

 contracting themselves, the insects have a power of entirely with- 

 drawing it : when they are at rest, very little light is to be seen M. 

 Templer, who made many observations on these insects, says that he 

 never saw a Glow-worm exhibit its light at all, without some sensible 

 motion either in its body or legs. This gentleman, when the light was 

 most brilliatit, fancied that it emitted a sensible heat. 



If the insect be crushed, and the hands or face be rubbed with it, they 

 contract a luminous appearance, similar to that produced from phos- 

 phorus. "When a Glow-worm is put into a phial, and the phial is 

 immersed in water, u very beautiful irradiation will be found to take 

 place. 



The female Glow- worms lay a great number of eggs on the turf or 

 plants on which they live. These eggs are somewhat large for the 

 size of the insects, of a round shape, and lemon color. When first 

 deposited, they are covered with a yellow, viscous matter, which serves 

 to fix them to the plant. 



When full grown the laivas are about an inch long, and so nearly 

 resemble the female in appearance, that it is a difficult matter to dis- 

 tinguish the sexes. When they change to their pupa state, the skin 

 generally splits on the middle of the head and back, and leaves an 

 o])enmg sufficient to give passage to the whole body. 



As soon as the larvaa is completely disengaged from the skin, it 

 curves its body into an arc, and is then in a pupa state. It still has 

 much resemblance to the larva. The only indication of life now, is its 

 curvature, from time to time, downwards, and its moving occasionally 

 from side to side. 



