Nottinghamshire Glow Worms 2024
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The Glow Worm is without doubt, one of our most fascinating insects. Famous for the ability to produce its own light, the green bioluminescence emitted by the female Glow Worm has formed the basis of countless fairy tales and folklore over centuries.

Although still regarded by some authorities as being both nationally and locally common, this delightful beetle has been proved to be in serious decline in Nottinghamshire.

The data collected by a number of recorders over the past ten years, has helped confirm both a decline and a demise in Nottinghamshire's Glow Worm populations. However, getting people to sit up and take notice has proved to be rather difficult and it doesn't help when those very same authorities continue to denounce any existance of decline. 

Habitat loss through urbanisation and industrial development, the use of pesticides and herbicides in modern farming practices and the increase in light pollution, are all thought to have contributed to the Glow Worm's decline.

 
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But Nottinghamshire is fortunate in having one of the UK's largest and most famous Glow Worm colonies in the shape of Clipstone Old Quarter. For many years, Clipstone Old Quarter (located within the heart of Sherwood Forest) was synonymous for producing high Glow Worm numbers over a season, but quite often the UK's earliest records of both larvae and females. And as we enter yet another year, there is much to look forward to, despite the recent fall in Glow Worm numbers.
 

Help monitor Glow Worm distribution - contribute your records

Members of the public can contribute to the Nottinghamshire Glow Worm Survey and we welcome any Glow Worm records from within VC56 Nottinghamshire. The easiest way to contribute your records, is by completing the simple online survey form on the right.

The form can also be used to send in any old Glow Worm records you may have, as old records are important in helping to determine a more accurate picture of Glow Worm distribution and how it has changed over time. And it is just as useful if we know where Glow Worms are not found, so please remember that negative results from a site are equally as important as positive results and will help our mapping of the Glow Worm's distribution.

Useful Glow Worm links on www.eakringbirds.com

  
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Glow Worm first dates 2008-2024
Refers to female Glow Worms only, not males or larvae
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    2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
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Date of first female   May 27th May 24th May 13th May 30th June 8th May 18th May 23rd June 3rd May 20th May 24th May 31st May 20th June 3rd May 17th May 27th May 21st
 
 
Nottinghamshire Glow Worm Survey records 2024
Please note that there may be delays in updating this section during the glowing season

The first female Glow Worms appeared at Clipstone Old Quarter on May 21st, when three females were present in Sections L, M and D of the site. This was earlier than had been expected and some six days earlier than in 2023. Although by no means the earliest recorded date at Clipstone Old Quarter, which still remains May 13th in 2011, May 21st is probably recordable as an average first date.

By May 25th, there were seven females present in six survey sections (see site maps on previous years Glow Worm pages) two of which, including one of the females from May 21st, had males in attendance. Three females were also recorded at the Budby (Swinecote Road) site on May 24th, the first here for three years.

Contributors to the Nottinghamshire Glow Worm Survey
Grateful thanks to the following people,  who have contributed records (both positive and negative) during 2024. Nick and Samantha Brownley. Iain Au-Yong. Amy Chandler. Kevin Clark. Carl Cornish. Martin Dale. Sharon Fidler. Tom Hibbert. Jason King. Johnny Maxwell. Rory Mooney. Phil Parry. Trevor Pendleton. iRecord. Mark Rolfe. Hayley Sears. Richard Upright.

For details of those sites listed and followed by a bracketed letter, click the link for details https://www.eakringbirds.com/eakringbirds6/glowwormrecords.htm
  
  
Surveyed   Site name   Grid ref   Site type/habitat   Qty   Notes   Recorder
March 3rd   Clumber Park   SK644773   Woodland edge, grassland and wide roadside verge   2   Two larvae found in leaf litter/under branch, from one of the known Clumber Park locations   NB. SM.
March 9th   Sherwood Pines   SK619607   Open, grassy, well vegetated area within large commercial area of coniferous woodland   1   A single larva recorded in leaf litter. This is one of a number of  known locations for Glow Worms in Sherwood Pines.   NB. SM.
April 1st   Clipstone Old Quarter   SK608674   Former Pine plantation and grass/scrub strip   1   The first larva of the year at Clipstone Old Quarter this evening   TP.
April 2nd   Clipstone Old Quarter   SK608674   Former Pine plantation and grass/scrub strip   2   Two larvae recorded this evening   TP.
April 2nd   Clumber Park   SK644773   Woodland edge, grassland and wide roadside verge   1   Single larva recorded   NB. SM.
April 5th   Clipstone Old Quarter   SK608674   Former Pine plantation and grass/scrub strip   2   Two larvae recorded this evening   TP.
April 6th   Clipstone Old Quarter   SK608674   Former Pine plantation and grass/scrub strip   2   Two larvae recorded this evening   TP.
April 7th   Clumber Park   SK642772   Woodland edge, grassland and wide roadside verge   5   A total of five larva recorded from shallow layer of leaf litter, under Gorse and Broom growing adjacent to wide grass verge. This is a known location for Glow Worms in Clumber Park.   NB. SM.
May 2nd   Sherwood Heath   SK647675   Grass and heather heathland   1   A single larva recorded by day   TH.
May 17th   Clumber Park (N)   SK601750   Coniferous woodland edge, bordering arable fields   1   A single larva recorded by day, from this previously unknown site, which is part of the Clumber Park complex.   KC.
May 21st   Clipstone Old Quarter   SK608674   Former Pine plantation and grass/scrub strip   3   The first females of the year (on the first survey for adults) were singles recorded in Sections L, M and D. Sections A, B, C, D, K, J, L, M and O  were surveyed.   TP.
May 25th   Clipstone Old Quarter   SK608674   Former Pine plantation and grass/scrub strip   7   A total of seven females included females in Sections L and M, still remaining from the 21st, although one had a male in attendance. An additional male was found with one of two females in Section J and new females were recorded in Sections K, D and A. Sections A, B, C, D, K, J, L, M and O were surveyed.   TP.
May 25th   Sherwood Heath   SK647675   Grass and heather heathland   0   No females recorded   TP.
May 25th   Budby (Swinecote Road)   SK627688   Grass verge, with small area of heathland   3   Three females, are the first to be recorded from this site since 2021.   TP.
May 25th   Budby South Forest   SK624690   Heathland/access track   0   No females recorded   TP.
May 25th   Budby (Netherfield Lane)   SK608705   Deciduous woodland and riverside habitat   0   No females recorded   TP.
May 26th   Clumber Park (O)   SK642773   Woodland edge, grassland and wide roadside verge   0   No females recorded   NB. SM.
May 30th   Clumber Park (N)   SK601750   Coniferous woodland edge, bordering arable fields   0   No females recorded   TP.
May 30th   Budby (Swinecote Road)   SK627688   Grass verge, with small area of heathland   1   One female present   TP.
May 30th   Budby South Forest   SK624690   Heathland/access track   1   A single female recorded along the access track   TP.
May 30th   Clipstone Old Quarter   SK608674   Former Pine plantation and grass/scrub strip   9   Nine females found late evening, with three in Sections O and A, with singles recorded in Sections L, K and J. No males found with any females. Sections A, B, C, D, K, J, L, M and O were surveyed.   TP.
June 2nd   Budby (Netherfield Lane)   SK608705   Deciduous woodland and riverside habitat   0   No females recorded   TP.
June 2nd   Clipstone Old Quarter   SK608674   Former Pine plantation and grass/scrub strip   10   A total of ten females across the site this evening, with two females in Section J recorded with three males. No males were found with any other females. Sections A (2), B, C (1), D, K, J (2), L (1), M (1) and O (3) were again surveyed, with the number of females showed in brackets.   TP.
June 5th   Sherwood Heath   SK647675   Grass and heather heathland   2   Two females recorded this evening, including one female found alongside the A6075 Mansfield Road, at approx SK64395 67283. Two females along this road on July 6th 2021.   TP.
June 5th   Edwinstowe STF   SK642670   Grass verges along STW access road and riverside   0   No Glow Worms recorded. This site was also surveyed in 2021, with negative results.   TP.
June 6th   Clipstone Old Quarter   SK608674   Former Pine plantation and grass/scrub strip   11   A count of 11 females this evening.   JM. RU.
June 7th   Harlow Wood   SK555565   Coniferous plantation, with areas of recent clearfell   63   An impressive site count of 63 females this evening. This site is now way above any other Nottinghamshire site, regularly producing large numbers.   JK.
June 7th   Clumber Park (O)   SK642773   Woodland edge, grassland and wide roadside verge   1   A single female recorded during a brief search at 1am.   TP.
June 7th   Clumber Park (B)   SK617749   Grass and heather heathland   0   No females recorded during a very quick survey.   TP.
June 11th   Clipstone Old Quarter   SK608674   Former Pine plantation and grass/scrub strip   46   A count of 46 females across the whole of the site this evening, with all sections surveyed for the first time in many years. In order of surveying and with the number of females per section in brackets, Sections O (1), L (1), P (0), M (2), N (2), K (3), J (7), F (2), I (5), G (1), H (3), S (4), E (6), D (7), C (0), B (0) and A (2) were surveyed. One male was present with a female in Section I.

46 females represents the best count here since 43 on 01/07/21. Interestingly, the count would have been half, had only the usual sections been surveyed. 		  TP.
June 17th   Harlow Wood   SK555565   Coniferous plantation, with areas of recent clearfell   93   An extremely high count of 93 females this evening.   JK. CK.
June 18th   Clipstone Old Quarter   SK608674   Former Pine plantation and grass/scrub strip   57   Another good total this evening, although some survey sections produced no females, including Sections A, B, C and D making up the grass strip. The full count was still 57 females, with all sections surveyed again. In order of surveying and with the number of females per section in brackets, sections O (3), L (5), P (4), M (4), N (5), K (0), J (5), F (4), I (9), G (0), H (2), S (5), E (11), D (0), C (0), B (0) and A (0) were surveyed.   TP.
June 19th   Clipstone Old Quarter   SK608674   Former Pine plantation and grass/scrub strip   40   A count of 40 females recorded from a number of survey sections this evening.   AC.
June 21st   Clipstone Old Quarter   SK608674   Former Pine plantation and grass/scrub strip   84   An extremely high site count of 84 females across the whole site this evening. This is the highest total since the site's best ever counts of 99 females, on dates either side of 101 on 29/05/14, a decade ago.   JM.
June 21st   Ruddington   SK561310   Active railway line, grass banked with lined trackbed   2   Two females and a single male (presumably with one female) recorded.   MD. IA. MR.
June 22nd   Clipstone Old Quarter   SK608674   Former Pine plantation and grass/scrub strip   7   Seven females and a single male reported from Sections L (3), J (3), and D (2).   CC. HS.
June 23rd   Harlow Wood   SK555565   Coniferous plantation, with areas of recent clearfell   14   A drop on the previous reported count from this site, with a total of just 14 females found, but good numbers of males.   JK.
June 26th   Harlow Wood   SK555565   Coniferous plantation, with areas of recent clearfell   4   A further drop in numbers at this site, with just four females seen thi evening.   JK. CK.
June 30th   Clipstone Old Quarter   SK608674   Former Pine plantation and grass/scrub strip   17   Continued evidence of the decline in Glow Worm numbers and clearly, the season is beginning to wind down, even on this early date. All sections were surveyed and the number of females found, are again showed in brackets. O (3), L (1), P (1), M (0), N (1), K (1), J (2), F (1), I (1), G (4), H (0), S (0), E (2), D (0), C (0), B (0) and A (0)   TP.
July 3rd   Sherwood Heath   SK647675   Grass and heather heathland   3   Three females recorded.   SF.
July 8th   Clipstone Old Quarter   SK608674   Former Pine plantation and grass/scrub strip   8   Eight females recorded this evening. The number of females found in each of the surveyed sections, are again showed in brackets. O (0), K (0), E (3), S (3), D (1), C (0), B (1) and A (0)   CC. RM.
July 9th   Ruddington   SK561310   Active railway line, grass banked with lined trackbed   32   The highest count recorded from this site, since being discovered a few years ago, with a total of 32 females present over a wide area. Three males and two larvae also found here.   MD. PP.
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