
This is what a female glow worm looks like and as you can see from its size against the grass stem it is not very big, maybe two centimetres at a stretch. However, at night time all you will see is a spot of green light.
The group Estuaire is trying to study glow worms in France and if you have a garden in France your assistance is invaluable to them. They would like to find out where glow worms can be seen in France. Are they more common in city gardens or country gardens? Are they on the increase or decrease?
So have a look after dark in the garden and if you do see a glow worm let the association know http://www.asterella.eu/index.php?.
In addition, you can check out the summer skies and maybe even spot a shooting star. Late July and early August might give you an even higher chance.

In fact, glow worm hunting would be the ideal pastime for insomniacs, you just need to wait until it is really dark to start your hunt. Like all sports it has its dangers and unless doted with extra sensory perception it is best to have a torch at hand to avoid the odd rake or misplaced rockery.
Last year I was given a “Special Mission” by the Association, so you are warned that glow worm hunting can become addictive. I have other blogs and pictures of glow worms I have met but for more information check out the Association’s web site and good hunting!
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Born in Scotland I have lived in England, Iran, USA and Greece. The house and land was bought twelve years ago in fulfilment of the dream of living in France that my Francophile husband nurtured. We had spent frequent holidays in France touring the more northerly parts and enjoying the food, scenery, architecture and of course gardens. However, we felt that to retire in France and enjoy a more clement climate than we currently had in Aberdeen we would need to find somewhere south of the river Loire but not too south to make returning to visit the UK onerous.
The year 2000 saw us buying our house and setting it up to receive us and the family on holidays. The garden was more a field and we were helped by my son to remove the fencing that had separated the previous owners’ goats, sheep and chickens. We did inherit some lovely old trees and decided to plant more fruit trees that would survive and mature with the minimum of care until we took up permanent residence.
The move took place in 2006 and the love hate relation with the “garden” started.
There was so much to do in the house that there was little energy left for the hard tasks in the garden. It was very much a slow process and a steep learning curve. Expenditures have been kept to a minimum. The majority of the plants have been cuttings and I try to gather seeds wherever I can. The fruit trees have all been bought but we have tender hearts and cannot resist the little unloved shrub at a discount price and take it as a matter of honour to nurse it back to health.
This year I have launched my Blog hoping to reach out to other gardeners in other countries. My aim is to make a garden for people to enjoy, providing shady and sunny spots with plants that enjoy living in this area with its limestone based subsoil and low rainfall in a warm summer. Exchanging ideas and exploring mutual problems will enrich my experience trying to form my French garden.
July 5, 2016 at 4:55 pm
I saw one here for the very first time in my life a couple of weeks ago, an amazing sight so I can understand your addiction. Happy hunting!
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July 5, 2016 at 6:44 pm
It is amazing and well worth a trip to the garden in the dark. Amelia
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July 5, 2016 at 5:02 pm
I came across a glow worm larva a month or so ago, Amelia. Had no idea what it was, but photographed it, identified it and reported the sighting. It was here in Surrey, though, so not much good to you! 😀
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July 5, 2016 at 6:46 pm
I had never seen a glow worm in the U.K. Now you have your eye in you might be seeing more. Amelia
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July 5, 2016 at 5:27 pm
I’ve never seen one, only heard about them in song.
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July 5, 2016 at 6:45 pm
I know that song 🙂 Amelia
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July 5, 2016 at 7:29 pm
If weather conditions are right we have magical displays in the woods here, but the last couple of years I have not seen more than one or two.
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July 6, 2016 at 10:57 am
I wonder if there are associations in Germany that are tracking the glow worms? Amelia
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July 6, 2016 at 8:29 pm
I have not heard of any…
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July 7, 2016 at 4:14 pm
I was just looking at the British glow worm site (which I have just discovered) and I noticed that there is a similar survey in Germany. It is http://www.lampyridae.lima-city.de/ just in case you are interested.
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July 7, 2016 at 8:29 pm
Thank you. I have realised though now from reading other comments that we are probably seeing fireflies as they fly. We have seen them on the ground too. I must look into this! None in our garden this season though.
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July 5, 2016 at 9:31 pm
I’ve never seen one but we have fireflies here that sound very similar, except that they fly.
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July 6, 2016 at 10:58 am
I’d really like to see fireflies, flying glowing lights are more exciting. Amelia
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July 6, 2016 at 2:57 am
Wonderful to have such a quest!
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July 6, 2016 at 10:59 am
It is satisfying for me to be a tiny cog in a big operation. Amelia
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July 6, 2016 at 5:16 am
Amazing! I’ve seen trees lit up with fireflies in Borneo, that was magical. Have never seen a glow worm though.
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July 6, 2016 at 11:01 am
I don’t think glow worms are common in the U.K. Amelia
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July 6, 2016 at 11:15 am
I have seen glow worms in NZ http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/glow-worms/page-1
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July 6, 2016 at 11:18 am
Are there associations in NZ that are monitoring the glow worms too? Amelia
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July 6, 2016 at 12:13 pm
Not that I know of, but the glow worms in Waitomo are closely monitored. http://www.nzscienceteacher.co.nz/learning-in-science/authentic-science-education/using-science-to-care-for-our-caves/#.V3z1TlR95dg
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July 6, 2016 at 1:41 pm
Wow! They really love their glow worms! I’d love to see those caves. Amelia
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July 7, 2016 at 2:49 am
They are beautiful.
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July 6, 2016 at 11:22 am
I notice that your glow worms are different insects from those in the Northern Hemisphere but I suppose that is to be expected.
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July 6, 2016 at 4:39 pm
Never seen one, but would like to!
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July 7, 2016 at 1:19 pm
I have never seen one in the U.K. but the U.K. has a survey too http://www.glowworms.org.uk/ and does walks! Maybe you could find a convenient one near you. Amelia
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July 6, 2016 at 5:36 pm
Never seen one and I would not have recognised one were it not for the opening picture. Thanks.
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July 7, 2016 at 1:25 pm
You are unlikely to notice one unless you look after night fall for the pin prick of green glow. Stray light from housing or street lights makes finding them more difficult. Amelia
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July 7, 2016 at 9:04 pm
Thanks for the timely reminder about GW’s and the link to the UK site…I’ve never seen one, but perhaps still time to have a look this year,
BW
Julian
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July 8, 2016 at 6:10 am
Always worth having a check as I think it is a good time of the year for them but I would have imagined it might be a bit chilly for them in your area. Amelia
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July 8, 2016 at 8:06 am
Thanks Amelia, our neighbour reckoned he saw a single one years ago, so maybe I’ll still try! BW Julian
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July 9, 2016 at 10:54 pm
Like you and others I’ve never seen a glow worm in the UK, only in ‘warm’ parts of Europe. And I’ve only ever seen fireflies in Italy. Do you get them? (If you have answered this in one of the many comments, sorry – missed it)
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July 10, 2016 at 6:31 am
I have never seen fireflies here but you can get them in the warmer, southern regions of France. I don’t usually travel in the summer time, keeping to the garden and the sea, so I have never seen fireflies. I would love to see fireflies. Amelia
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July 10, 2017 at 9:06 pm
We have just seen 3 in a short walk at Euronat (just north of Montalivet, Gironde). Didn’t see any last year. Hoping this will be a good season for them in 2017. Alec B
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July 11, 2017 at 5:25 am
We saw our first in the garden a while ago but this year has been very dry with less snails. Less snails may make it more difficult for them to breed this year. Amelia
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July 18, 2017 at 11:27 am
Have seen a glow worm for two consecutive evenings here in Poitou Charente this week, a truly amazing sight. Gerd
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July 18, 2017 at 2:09 pm
I had never seen glow worms before I came to live here. They are fascinating creatures and are a special feature of the summer here. Amelia
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June 6, 2018 at 7:26 am
We saw a glow worm n our garden last night for the first time. We didn’t identify it but it had two ‘lights’ one behind the other and was continuous. Will see if I can identify it tonight.
We live in Maine et Loire south of Doué la Fontaine.
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June 6, 2018 at 10:32 am
I wonder if you saw two? You could contact http://www.asterella.eu/index.php?pays=FRANCE. You could perhaps join in to add your observations to others being made throughout France. Amelia
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June 6, 2018 at 10:54 am
Amelia, the two main segments can be seen as separate lights if the tail-end of the abdomen is being held straight.
All the best, I am still reading…. but am unable to comment from my eyePad without a lot of pfaff, Tim
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June 6, 2018 at 11:42 am
Thank you for that, Tim. Amelia
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August 6, 2018 at 9:20 pm
Just seen a glow worm in our garden in Cambes 47350, France. Very rural setting. Wonderful
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August 8, 2018 at 5:27 pm
I get excited every year when I see them. Amelia
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August 15, 2018 at 5:38 pm
Such a treat! A very special part of warm summer nights. Amelia
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August 13, 2018 at 8:43 pm
Evening – first time in 9 years had one of your glow worms in the garden.
Saw fire Flies in Nepal 20 years ago.
South West France 82120. I’m told they like to eat snails x wet spring – so maybe that’s why.
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August 15, 2018 at 5:36 pm
They make the evenings so special. It is actually the larval stage that eat the snails so no-one who wants to see glow worms in their gardens ever uses slug pellets as that poisons them :(. You are correct the wet weather and snails work in their favour. Amelia
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