Glow Worm larvae captive research data 2012-2014
 
We are currently undertaking two research projects looking into the bioluminescent activity produced by the larvae of the Glow Worm (Lampyris noctiluca). Project 1 and Project 2 are both expected to continue for several years, although some aspects of our research may well be completed by the end of 2013. This research is being conducted by Martin Dale and ourselves.
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This page acts purely as an index page to the results obtained during observations of the bioluminescence produced by 25 larvae kept in a captive environment in Autumn 2012 (Larvae 1-11) and Autumn 2013 (Larvae 12-25).  
The graph shows the 251 glows produced by L25 in a single hour, while with prey on 12/09/13.
 
Key to abbreviations used in the following tables
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F/Dy ... Larva known to have fed within previous 12 hours ... U ... Unknown
F/Av ... Food/prey items available in container ... Y ... Yes
T/Gl ... Total number of larval glows within observation period ... N ... No
 
..... ... Indicates a positive count/larva active
.....   Indicates a negative (0) count/larva inactive
     
Larvae 12-25 (Autumn 2013)

Martin began observations of larvae 12-21 on September 6th 2013. We started observations of larvae 22-25 the following night.

Martin is also continuing observations of L11, which remains as a very large female larva, from our 2012 research.

  
Bioluminescent activity produced by captive larvae 12-25 during Autumn 2013
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..................... . Evenings active . Activity Percentage . Total GPN . Highest GPN . Average GPN   Highest GPM
Larva 11 (2) . 0/16 . 00% . 000/16 . 000 . 0.00 . 0
.#
Larva 12 . 0/16 . 00% . 000/16 . 000 . 00.00 . 0
Larva 13 . 0/16 . 00% . 000/16 . 000 . 00.00 . 0
Larva 14 . 0/16 . 00% . 000/16 . 000 . 00.00 . 0
Larva 15 . 0/16 . 00% . 000/16 . 000 . 00.00 . 0
Larva 16 . 0/16 . 00% . 000/16 . 000 . 00.00 . 0
Larva 17 . 0/16 . 00% . 000/16 . 000 . 00.00 . 0
Larva 18 . 0/16 . 00% . 000/16 . 000 . 00.00 . 0
Larva 19 . 0/16 . 00% . 000/16 . 000 . 00.00 . 0
Larva 20 . 0/16 . 00% . 000/16 . 000 . 00.00 . 0
Larva 21 . 0/17 . 00% . 000/16 . 000 . 00.00 . 0
Larva 22 . 1/16 . 06% . 017/16 . 017 . 01.06 . 3
Larva 23 . 1/16 . 06% . 009/16 . 009 . 00.56 . 2
Larva 24 . 2/16 . 12% . 070/16 . 065 . 04.35 . 5
Larva 25 . 4/16 . 25% . 329/16 . 271 . 20.56 . 8
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L11 is the only larvae remaining from our 2012 research, so is being observed for a second year
Figure after the forward slash represents the total number of observation periods per larva
     
Summary of bioluminescent activity produced by Larvae 12- 17
Clicking on the column headings (Larva 12, 13, 14 etc) in the tables below, will link to more detailed daily results for that larva.
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    Larva 12   Larva 13   Larva 14   Larva 15   Larva 16   Larva 17
Date ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl
06/09/13 ... N N. 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0
07/09/13 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0
08/00/13 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0
09/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0
10/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... Y Y 0
11/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... Y Y 0
12/09/13 ... Y Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... Y Y 0
13/09/13 ... Y Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... Y Y 0
14/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0
15/09/13 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0
16/09/13 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0
17/09/13 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0
18/09/13 ... Y N 0 ... N Y 0 ... Y N 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0
19/09/13 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0
20/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0
21/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0
 
Summary of bioluminescent activity produced by Larvae 18- 23
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    Larva 18   Larva 19   Larva 20   Larva 21   Larva 22   Larva 23
Date ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl
06/09/13 ... Y Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0 ... No data ... No data
07/09/13 ... Y Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0
08/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0
09/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0
10/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0
11/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 17 ... N Y 0
12/09/13 ... Y Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... N Y 0
13/09/13 ... Y Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... N Y 0
14/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0
15/09/13 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0
16/09/13 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N Y 9
17/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0
18/09/13 ... N Y 0 . N Y 0 .. Y Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0
19/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... N Y 0
20/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0
21/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0
 
Summary of bioluminescent activity produced by Larvae 24- 25 and L11 (2y)
* L11 remains from our 2012 research
    Larva 24   Larva 25               Larva 11 (2y)
Date ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl ... F/Dy F/Dy F/Dy ... F/Dy F/Dy F/Dy ... F/Dy F/Dy F/Dy ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl
06/09/13 ... No data ... No data ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Y Y 0
07/09/13 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Y N 0
08/09/13 ... N N 0 ... Y N 0 ... ...... ...... ...... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Y N 0
09/09/13 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... N Y 0
10/09/13 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... N Y 0
11/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... N Y 0
12/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 274 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Y Y 0
13/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... Y Y 5 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... Y Y 0
14/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... Y N 0 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... N Y 0
15/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... N N 0 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... N N 0
16/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... N N 0 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... N N 0
17/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... N N 0 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... N Y 0
18/09/13 ... N Y 65 ... N Y 5 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... N Y 0
19/09/13 ... N Y 5 ... N N 48 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... N Y 0
20/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... N N 0 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... N Y 0
21/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... N Y 0
22/09/13 ... N Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... No data
 
 
 
Larvae 1-11 (Autumn 2012)

Our observations of larvae 1-11 were completed in Autumn 2012, but casual observations and notes continued until pupation in Spring 2013.

Larva 11 is still in the larval stage as of early September 2013.

We have included brief summaries of the bioluminescence produced during observation periods conducted during Autumn 2013. For the full report on this research, click the link at the bottom of this page.

  
Bioluminescent activity produced by captive larvae 1-11 during Autumn 2012
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..................... . Evenings active . Activity Percentage . Total GPN . Highest GPN . Average GPN   Highest GPM   Adult sex
Larva 1 . 13/24 . 54% . 712/24 . 295 . 29.66 . 6 . Female
Larva 2 . 12/24 . 50% . 879/24 . 239 . 36.65 . 7 . Female
Larva 3 . 11/22 . 50% . 593/22 . 379 . 26.95 . 6 . Female
Larva 4 . 07/22 . 32% . 307/22 . 116 . 13.95 . 5 . Female
Larva 5 . 07/22 . 32% . 067/22 . 022 . 03.04 . 5 . Female
Larva 6 . 15/22 . 68% . 870/22 . 264 . 39.54 . 6 . Female
Larva 7 . 09/18 . 50% . 766/18 . 162 . 42.55 . 5 . Female
Larva 8 . 00/18 . 00% . 000/18 . 000 . 00.00 . 0 . Female
Larva 9 . 09/18 . 50% . 165/18 . 056 . 09.16 . 3 . Male
Larva 10 . 01/18 . 05% . 033/18 . 033 . 01.83 . 3 . Male
Larva 11 . 03/18 . 16% . 039/18 . 028 . 02.16 . 3 . N/A
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* Figure after the forward slash represents the total number of observation periods per larva
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Summary of bioluminescent activity produced by Larvae 1- 6
Clicking on the column headings (Larva 1, 2, 3 etc) in the tables below, will link to more detailed daily results for that larva.
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    Larva 1   Larva 2   Larva 3   Larva 4   Larva 5   Larva 6
Date ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl
29/08/12 ... U N 37 ... U N 20 ... No data ... No data ... No data ... No data
30/08/12 ... N N 69 ... N N 8 ... No data ... No data ... No data ... No data
31/08/12 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 94 ... No data ... No data ... No data ... No data
01/09/12 ... N Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... N N 18 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0
02/09/12 ... Y Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 379 ... N N 9 ... N N 3 ... N N 91
03/09/12 ... N Y 172 ... N N 33 ... Y N 0 ... N N 68 ... N N 0 ... N Y 65
04/09/12 ... N Y 31 ... N N 239 ... N N 0 ... Y Y 0 ... N Y 17 ... Y Y 0
05/09/12 ... Y N 6 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... Y Y 0 ... N Y 14
06/09/12 ... N N 2 ... N N 1 ... N N 9 ... N N 0 ... Y Y 0 ... N N 0
07/09/12 ... N N 4 ... Y Y 3 ... N N 2 ... N N 5 ... N N 0 ... N N 11
08/09/12 ... N N 84 ... N N 0 ... N Y 22 ... N N 116 ... N N 0 ... N N 75
09/09/12 ... N N 2 ... N N 39 ... Y Y 1 ... N Y 76 ... N Y 0 ... N N 264
10/09/12 ... N Y 295 ... N N 0 ... Y N 0 ... Y Y 0 ... Y N 0 ... Y N 32
11/09/12 ... N Y 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... Y N 0 ... Y Y 10 ... N N 123
12/09/12 ... N Y 1 ... N Y 0 ... N N 19 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... U N 17
13/09/12 ... Y Y 1 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 101 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 95
14/09/12 ... N Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... N N 32 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... Y Y 4
15/09/12 ... Y Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 2 ... N Y 0
16/09/12 ... N N 0 ... N N 178 ... Y Y 1 ... N N 29 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0
17/09/12 ... N N 0 ... N N 213 ... Y Y 0 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 8
18/09/12 ... N N 0 ... N N 20 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 22 ... N N 51
19/09/12 ... N Y 0 ... Y Y 33 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 10 ... N N 15
20/09/12 ... No data ... No data ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... Y Y 0
21/09/12 ... N Y 0 ... Y N 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0
22/09/12 ... N Y 8 ... N N 0 ... Y Y 9 ... Y Y 4 ... Y Y 3 ... Y Y 5
 
Summary of bioluminescent activity produced by Larvae 7- 11
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    Larva 7   Larva 8   Larva 9   Larva 10   Larva 11    
Date ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl ... F/Dy F/Av T/Gl
03/09/12 ... No data ... No data ... No data ... No data ... No data ... ...
04/09/12 ... No data ... No data ... No data ... No data ... No data ... ...
05/09/12 ... N Y 133 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 17 ... Y Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... ... ... ...
06/09/12 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 26 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... ... ... ...
07/09/12 ... Y Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0 ... ... ... ...
08/09/12 ... N N 44 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0 ... ... ... ...
09/09/12 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N Y 56 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0 ... ... ... ...
10/09/12 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 39 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0 ... ... ... ...
11/09/12 ... N N 137 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 2 ... N N 0 ... N Y 5 ... ... ... ...
12/09/12 ... U N 96 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 7 ... N N 0 ... U N 6 ... ... ... ...
13/09/12 ... N Y 80 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 8 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... ... ... ...
14/09/12 ... Y Y 162 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 9 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 28 ... ... ... ...
15/09/12 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 3 ... Y Y 33 ... Y Y 0 ... ... ... ...
16/09/12 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... ... ... ...
17/09/12 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... Y N 0 ... N Y 0 ... ... ... ...
18/09/12 ... N N 1 ... N Y 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... ... ... ...
19/09/12 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... ... ... ...
20/09/12 ... N N 0 ... N Y 0 ... N N 0 ... N N 0 ... Y Y 0 ... ... ... ...
21/09/12 ... N Y 14 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... ... ... ...
22/09/12 ... N Y 5 ... N Y 0 ... Y Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... N Y 0 ... ... ... ...
 
     
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