John Tyler

• M.Sc.
• Independent

We review the biology and ecology of the lesser glow-worm Phosphaenus hemipterus (Coleoptera: Lampyridae) and consider its status in Britain, with evidence suggesting that it has been introduced accidentally on a number of occasions.

Results from glow-worms surveys on 15 sites across southern and central England were used to assess the current status of L. noctiluca in the region and to study the influence of ecological and climatic factors on glow-worm numbers and phenology. The surveys also provide an indication of L. noctiluca's habitat requirements, as well as offering a me...

Three different approaches were used to study the diurnal behaviour of female Lampyris noctiluca. The results demonstrate both their extremely sedentary nature, and their ability to take advantage of a wide range of natural and artificial shelters, including logs, boards, burrows and crevices. They were also found during the day at ground level, wh...

The results of a detailed, long-term study of a population of L. noctiluca show considerable variability in the magnitude and timing of female counts, both within and between seasons. The onset of the display season is relatively fixed, in marked contrast to its unpredictable closure. There appears to be a relationship between total number of femal...

Larval defensive behaviour and eversible organ morphology were compared in the firefly species Luciola cruciata Motschulsky 1854, L. lateralis Motschulsky 1860, L. leii Fu et Ballantyne 2006, Lampyris noctiluca Linnaeus 1767, Pyrocoelia analis Fabricius 1801, P. pectoralis Oliver 1883, P. sp. and two Diaphanes species. In all cases the eversible or...

Abstract Chemical defences against predators appear to be widespread amongst fireflies but, until now, the substances involved have only been identified in a few species, all of them from North America. In the present study, evidence is presented that a similar toxin may be present in a Eurasian species, Lampyris noctiluca L.

Although reflex bleeding as a defence mechanism is well characterised in the adult lampyrid little is known of the defensive mechanisms of immature bioluminescent beetles. A detailed comparative examination of the morphology and microstructure of the pleural defensive organs of Lampyris noctiluca L., Luciola cruciata Motschulsky and a Nyctophila sp...