Glow Worms in Utah? Found in Zion NP

[Jeff Cooper]

I had one person respond to me about a question that may have been buried too deep in my recent report of the Spotted Owls and Roadrunners seen in Zion NP and on Lytle Ranch Road respectively.

While hiking down the trail from seeing the Spotted Owls I found several mill worm-looking bugs which were glowing on one end. I grew up in Kentucky and know lightning bugs well, but I'd never seen a glowing worm before. I've done a little Internet searching and learned some things. These glow worms are insects. The female looks like a mill worm and does glow for a couple hours during dark during mating season, usually June and July. In one case I saw the male insect (with wings) crawling on the glowing worm.  Has anyone else seen these interesting glow worms in Utah. What can you share about them in terms of range, habitat, etc. It seems very few people know about them so I wonder how rare they are.

Thank you.

Jeff