Prey attraction by larvae of the New Zealand glowworm, Arachnocampa luminosa (Diptera: Mycetophilidae)

The hypothesis that bioluminescence produced by larvae of the New Zealand glowworm, Arachnocampa luminosa, attracts prey was tested experimentally in Reserve Cave, Waitomo, New Zealand, and in its bush-clad entrance over a total of 200 days during winter, spring, and summer. We compared catches on transparent adhesive traps placed either over glowworms or over areas from which glowworms had been removed. Adhesive traps over glowworms caught significantly more invertebrates per trap per day than did control traps. Glowworms in bush attracted greater numbers and types of invertebrates than did glowworms in the cave. Diptera predominated in both bush (86% of the total catch) and cave (89%). Also caught were small numbers of Araneae, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Orthoptera, Trichoptera, Gastropoda, Acarina, and Neuroptera-listed in order of abundance-but no adults of A. luminosa were caught. Glowworms under adhesive traps survived with little or no food for up to 78 days.