Over the last few years I have noticed Glow-worm larva (see plate 3) that were utilising
reptile refugia. Last year I found a glow-worm larva under a piece of black roofing felt,
which was placed within rough grassland along side a woodland area. The survey was
for reptiles namely Slowworms and it was undertaken at a site in Kent. I mentioned the
find to the staff at Froglife. Nick Meade the London Pond Doctor, confirmed that he had
also found a single Glow-worm larva under roofing felt on his father's farm in Norfolk.
Nick went on to count around 50 glowing larva at night during August and September in
2002 and carried on counting them into November! (N. Meade, pers, comm.)
It was felt that the discovery of the Glow-worm larva using felt tiles was probably a 'one
off' or very incidental but as two separate sites have shown Glow-worm larva it seemed
likely that they like living under black felt tiles (in small numbers).
In 2003, though, while looking for reptiles at Hadleigh Castle Country Park, on the 30th
March, a large Glow-worm larva was found under a piece of black felt. This Glow-worm
larva was found within a new area for the species of the Country Park. Glow-worms are
recorded from Hadleigh Castle Country Park I found glowing females along a path, where
they are normally recorded, in 2001. This find has renewed my interest in the species and
particularly to how useful reptile refugia could be to identify new colonies within the Essex
County. I have undertaken many reptile surveys over the last few years and now I am very
keen to look for Glow-worm within my surveys. I have found several new sites for the species.
I have collected some interesting results outside of the Essex County. In several counties
such as Berkshire, Hampshire and Sussex I have found glow-worm larva under reptile
refugia. In a site near Reading I found a total of 9 Glow-worm larva under corrugated
iron tins laid out for reptiles within a rough grassland area. In Sussex around 3 Glow-
worm larva were found under black felt tiles along the edge of bramble within a farm
site and again a single larva was found near a MOD training area in Basingstoke.
The occurrence of Glow-worm under 'reptile refugia' is something that people should
be aware of in the county. Glow-worm larva spend the winter under logs, stones or leaf
litter (Tyler, 2002). Little is known about the habitat preferences of the larva because of
its nocturnal habits. The use of 'artificial refugia' may reveal interesting insights into the
ecology of Glow-worm larva. The recent insights into the ecology of the more secretive
reptiles (Slowworm and Smooth Snake) in the UK has been heavily reliant on artificial
refugia. An artificial lure has been made to survey for male Glow-worm and is briefly
outlined in the letters page of British Wildlife (Clements, 2002).
Many reptile surveys are being carried out from March to October over Essex and the
rest of the UK. The surveys are often in habitats that are suitable for Glow-worm. Used
and disused railway lines, roadside verges, woodland edge, meadows, and Heathland
(Tyler 2002) are all habitats that are suitable for Glow-worm and for reptiles. The
protection afforded to native reptiles in the UK may help conserve habitats within
18 Essex Field Club Newsletter No. 42, September 2003