Glow-worms Lampyris noctiluca L. (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) in Essex
wood should be retained within open grassland areas to provide cover for larvae and snails
(Alexander 1992). It is essential that the collection of glowing females is discouraged because
many of the colonies in Essex are very small and particularly vulnerable to extinction.
Conclusion
The short-term future of L. noctiluca in Essex appears to be relatively secure because this species
is not as rare as was previously thought. However, with the exception of the population that was
recorded at One Tree Hill, most of the colonies which were observed during the survey were small
and many were isolated. Development, pollution and the neglect of sites are the major threats to L.
noctiluca in Essex and monitoring of known colonies should continue in future years to ascertain
long-term trends and allow conservation measures to be implemented if necessary.
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank all of the survey participants and everyone who submitted records. The
following individuals deserve special thanks: Claire Cadman, Geoff Ford, Mandy Greig, Peter
Harvey, Martin Heywood, Chris Johnson, Andy McGeeney, Robin Scagell, Nick Stanley, John
Tyler, Graham Watkins and Lin Wenlock. My gratitude is also extended to English Nature and
Essex Wildlife Trust for supporting the survey, and to Writtle College for providing finance and
resources for the duration of the project. The distribution maps (Figs. 1 and 2) were produced
using Dr. Alan Morton's DMAP programme.
References
ALEXANDER, K.N.A. (1992) The glow worm, Lampyris noctiluca (L.), in Gloucestershire and its
conservation. The Gloucestershire Naturalist. 5: 1-5
COLE, W. (1899) Glow-worm and frog. The Essex Naturalist. 11: 144-145
CORKE, D. (1984) The nature of Essex. Barracuda Books, Buckingham
LEUTSCHER, A. (1974) Epping Forest - its history and wildlife. David & Charles, London
TYLER, J. (1986) The ecology and conservation of the glow-worm, Lampyris noctiluca (L.) in Britain.
Atala. 10-12: 17-19
TYLER, J. (1994) Glow-worms. Tyler-Scagell, Sevenoaks
TYLER, J. (2002) The glow-worm. Lakeside Press, Sevenoaks
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