Photo Page 04
Waitomo Caves and Glow Worms
We visited two caves with 'glow worms' and later were told they actually were a maggot type larva. The insects breed and lay eggs on the roof of the caves. They secret a line of mucus that can extend up to 10 inches or so long as can be seen in the right photo. The worms glow in the dark very brightly and the insects that are blown into the cave fly to the light and become stuck to the line. The worm eats the line and draws the insect to their mouths. Eventually the worms go into to a pupae stage and emerge as a fly and live only a few days, just enough time to mate.
The biggest cave was about 30 stories under the surface and it was a long walk down to the bottom and back up again!
Created by Chuck Buntjer
Published on: 2013.10.10
San Francisco
Revised on: 2013.20.10