Arachnocampa flava
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
Arachnocampa is a genus of nine fungus gnat species which have a bioluminescent larval stage, akin to the larval stage of glowworm beetles. The species of Arachnocampa are endemic to Australia and New Zealand, dwelling in caves and grottos, or sheltered places in forests.
A previous placement was in the genus Bolitophila. This species and several related species were moved in 1924 to a new genus, Arachnocampa, meaning "spider web-worm," for the way the larvae hang sticky silk threads to ensnare prey. The genus Arachnocampa belongs in the family Keroplatidae.
Arachnocampa species have holometabolous metamorphosis with eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults. Individuals spend most of their lives as larvae. These flies live from about 6 through 12 months as larvae, depending on food availability. A larva is only about 3–5 mm long when it emerges from its egg, and can grow up to about 3 cm long.
The larva spins a nest out of silk on the ceiling of the cave and then hangs down as many as 70 threads of silk (called snares) from around the nest, each up to 30 or 40 cm long and holding droplets of mucus. The larvae can only live in a place out of the wind, to stop their lines... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 2 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Queensland Glow Worm sighting in Springbrook National Park on a given day, based on 20 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 80th most-seen of the 429 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.
April
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Southern Queensland Glow Worm in Springbrook National Park on a given day, against under 5% in May, July–August, October and December, the lowest months.
Between 7 and 10 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Southern Queensland Glow Worm sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 pm and 6 am: it is mostly seen at night.
2nd of 2
Of the 2 parks where we can rate Southern Queensland Glow Worm sightings, Springbrook National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Lamington National Park (Australia, about 20%).
Same order: Diptera
The closest relatives of the Southern Queensland Glow Worm that you can see in Springbrook National Park (order Diptera, Flies) are Garden Soldier Fly (about 10%), Black-Banded Hover Fly (about 10%) and Boatman Fly (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Southern Queensland Glow Worm is recorded against all the insects logged in Springbrook National Park (20 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), 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.
