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Photo#17799
Pink Glowworm (Microphotous angustus) - Microphotus angustus - female

Pink Glowworm (Microphotous angustus) - Microphotus angustus - Female
San Diego, Cowles Mountain, San Diego County, California, USA
May 18, 2005
Size: Approx. 1"
This year we have only seen three glowworms so far. When glowing, the worms tend to curl their abdomen underneath them in order to produce a maximum effect to display for males.

Moved
Moved from Glowworm Beetles.

Microphotus belongs in family
Microphotus belongs in family Lampyridae.

An inch seems a bit large...

Napa CA
We find one or two of these every year in Angwin, Ca. Up in the mountains above the napa valley. Usually in June, but occasionally later in the year. So cool!

Topanga Canyon State Park (Los Angeles)
Tonight my husband and I were hiking and under some trees near the entrance we saw something glowing in the bushes. We saw about six total and stopped to investigate. The light was so bright it looked like a tiny power light. We discovered little larva! We couldn't believe how incredibly bright these little guys were!

Cowles Mountain Pink Glowworm (Microphotous angustus)
I have seen a dozen Pink Glowworms (Microphotous angustus) so far hiking up and down Cowles Mountain mid April 2009

Female pink glowworm
I found one next to my cabin at the KOA in Midpines, Calif. in mid June, 2008. This is just outside of the Yosemite Valley. Thought is was a peice of my daughters glow neglace.

Garden Glow Worm
I recently moved to Alpine, on Viejas Mountain, and I've found three of these wonderful creatures so far in my garden. The last (and first) one I saw was over 10 years ago in a bathroom at Cuyamaca State Park. I thought it was a smoldering cigarette.

Thanks for the info about looking for it in Jamul. That would be so cool to see a "Christmas Tree Lit" bush.

Pink Glowworm found in Ramona
I have found 2 of these glowworms, exactly like the one pictured here, in Ramona, CA. I found them on Mt. Woodson Road, near the hiking trail.

Gloworm
If you go to the reference book, Insects of the LA Basin by Charles Hogue, you'll see he does describe them as a gloworm. I realize that they are not a true gloworm and that the male only emits a weak glow when disturbed, but is attracted to the female's glow. I have seen more gloworms on Cowles Mtn. depending upon the year, though not such a display as you describe.
Just where exactly in Jamul do they usually congregate?

 
directions
Your best chance in Jamul (without wandering onto someones property) would be in the bushes off the side of the road down Lyons Valley rd (a right then immidiete left going east off Skyline truck trail, take the second turnoff or you will be subject to ALOT of windy road too narrow to park on).

Some years they are abundant, others almost nonexistant(have to have an eye out for them). They are late may to the best of my estimate.

Not a proper "gloworm"
however its a female firefly (females of this species stay in their larval form) Males turn into classic fireflys and can and do light up when flying..but its soo rare and there has to be ALOT of female activity down below for them to do so. Your best chance of seeing this behaviour is in Jamul CA just (southeast of you in the mountains) which usualy maintains a pretty healthy population. Groups of females christmas tree light up bushes sometimes and are consistantly spread out over miles.... in good years

Glowing pink gloworm
For the folks who asked about a view of the gloworm in daylight or with flash, just look at the images next to the nightime image. It is the same "worm" actually an undeveloped beetle larvae.

daylight or flash
Can you show us a picture of what it looks like in daylight or with a flash? Identification of glowworm and firefly larva has been quite a topic here for a while.

great shot.
I'm surprised by how much light it produces.

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