Scientists open can of worms

Scientists in Belgium claim glowworms are not looking for love but illuminate themselves to warn off predators.

Raphael De Cock, who led the research team from Antwerp University, found that insects glow when under threat and that insect eaters like frogs refuse to eat glowing prey.

He said: “We also found that when mating, glow worms always fly against the wind, which is a clear sign that they attract a partner by scent and not by sight.

“This discovery not only shows that the glow worm exclusively uses chemical signals to detect its partner, but also that the glowing has a function other than one of sexual communication.” —Ananova

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