![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tourhero.com\/en\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/glow-worm-on-grass-new-zealand.jpg\")
Glow worms, despite their name, aren\u2019t worms at all! Glow worms are, in fact, beetles belonging to the family Lampyridae<\/em>, commonly known as fireflies or lightning bugs. These beetles emit a bioluminescent light to communicate with other beetles, attract mates, or lure prey into their web.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Male glow worms look like beetles with their hand-winged case. They are also of a smaller size than their female counterparts. In fact, the wingless, larvae-like appearance of adult female glow worms gives these beetles its \u201cworm\u201d moniker. Though both male and female sexes may exhibit bioluminescence, female glow worms emit a stronger glow of yellow, green, or orange light to attract their mate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At night, adult female glow worms get ready to attract their mate by climbing to a high point such as a plant’s stem. They turn their light-producing organ, located at the end of their abdomen, upwards, making themselves visible to flying males. Drawn to this light with their large, photo-sensitive eyes, male glow worms find their potential mate in the thick vegetation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Arachnocampa<\/em> is a group of glow worms consisting of five species unique to New Zealand. Typically found in caves, grottos, overhangs, rock cavities, and sheltered wet areas, these species use their bioluminescence to trap prey by using their light to lure other insects into their webs.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhy do glow worms glow?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Preparing for your journey to New Zealand’s glow worms caves<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.tourhero.com\/en\/magazine\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/5-glow-worm-caves-in-new-zealand-glow-worms.jpeg\")