Lampyris noctiluca
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
Lampyris noctiluca, the common glowworm of Europe (see also "glowworm"), is the type species of beetle in the genus Lampyris and the family Lampyridae. Lampyris noctiluca presents conspicuous sexual dimorphism. The males are winged, with brown elytra, a clearer pronotum and a large brown spot in the middle, while females are larviform, with no wings, and they are often twice the size of the males (up to 25 millimetres (1 in) in length).
These beetles use their bioluminescence to attract mates. The adult females are mostly famed for their glow, although all stages of their life cycle are capable of glowing. In Britain, this species is fairly common, compared to its cousin Phosphaenus hemipterus—the lesser glow worm—which is very rare.
The etymology of Lampyrus is from Greek for "shining ones"; the genus includes species known as fireflies or lightning bugs. Contrary to its name, it is not worm-like, but a beetle. These beetles are typically the most active at night and spend their day under debris, or in the ground. The larvae are also nocturnal and rarely seen, only coming out when the conditions are right in the months of April to October. The adult stage is much shorter than the larvae stage but they are much easier to spot then as they glow for a few hours and only stop glowing after mating. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Białowieża National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 2 | Mercantour National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 3 | Cévennes National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 4 | Snowdonia National Park | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | |
| 5 | Pyrénées National Park | 🇫🇷 France | |
| 6 | Bavarian Forest National Park | 🇩🇪 Germany |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a European Glow-Worm sighting in Lyon on a given day, based on 41 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 54th most-seen of the 411 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
February, April and June
In those months about 20% of wildlife watchers report a European Glow-Worm in Lyon on a given day, against under 5% in August–September and December, the lowest months.
Between 9 pm and midnight
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most European Glow-Worm sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Yes
Of the 13 cities where we can rate European Glow-Worm sightings, Lyon has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Helsinki (Finland, about 10%) and Paris (France, about 10%).
Same order: Coleoptera
The closest relatives of the European Glow-Worm that you can see in Lyon (order Coleoptera, Beetles) are Asian Lady Beetle (about 40%), Seven-Spotted Lady Beetle (about 30%) and Mediterranean Spotted Chafer (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the European Glow-Worm is recorded against all the insects logged in Lyon (41 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
