Like stars, it shines down in some caves and grottos, so you feel like you are in another universe. But what glows are by no means foreign stars, but small glowworms - here sued as fireflies.
In Australia and New Zealand, however, there are not the beetles, which can be admired here. At the other end of the world there are the so-called Arachnocampa, which belong to the mushroom quills. The word Arachno has not been forbidden in its name for nothing, because the larvae spin threads to catch their prey - just like spiders do. In caves, these threads hang up from the ceiling and are filled with mucus droplets, which may even be poisonous. Preferably one-day flies, mosquitoes, moths or small snails land on the menu.
In Australia and New Zealand, however, there are not the beetles, which can be admired here. At the other end of the world there are the so-called Arachnocampa, which belong to the mushroom quills. The word Arachno has not been forbidden in its name for nothing, because the larvae spin threads to catch their prey - just like spiders do. In caves, these threads hang up from the ceiling and are filled with mucus droplets, which may even be poisonous. Preferably one-day flies, mosquitoes, moths or small snails land on the menu.
The fairy lights do not make the firefly larvae for us - no, they shine because they are hungry - the bigger the hunger, the brighter they light up. In this larval stage the insects remain six to twelve months, depending on the food availability, which is the longest period of their life. Until the larva has grown with three centimeters, it has skinned a total of four times. As an enlarged mosquito, it then suddenly ceases to eat and is now concentrating exclusively on its reproduction. After the female has laid about 130 eggs, it dies quite quickly.
If you want to see the big lights live, you can walk through the Glow Worm Tunnel in Lithgow in the Blue Mountains.
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Glow worm