Do insect eggs glow in the dark?

I was just outside in my back yard in the dark, and I noticed a tiny light down at the base of my wall, upon further inspection I noticed it was actually 4 glowing spots. They were glowing white. I made sure it was not just a reflection, then went and grabbed my mum to show her and when we were both looking at it, all four of the lights turned off before our eyes.

With a flashlight, I saw insect eggs that look kind of like this sticking out from the cement wall where the spots were.


Im just curious, does anyone know what insect this could be? I looked and could not find anything on glowing eggs.

I live in tucson az, and as far as I know, Ive never seen a firefly or any other bioluminescent insect around here.

(edit) My mom just came in to report that the little lights came back on. now thats weird. Im off to see...

[edit on 4/29/2008 by psychedeliack]
Maybe its a fairy egg or something, do fairy's lay eggs?

[edit on 4/29/2008 by psychedeliack]

Is it a clear night? Sometimes white objects seem luminescent in a clear night if the moon is bright enough. Maybe when both of you leaned in to see it you blocked the moon? I don't think I can tell you what type of eggs they are though.

reply to post by beaverg

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moons not out yet, and these things were clearly producing their own light source, I made sure of that, I thought I was tripping at first. I cupped my hand around them to make sure, plus the way they went off, it was like they faded out.

Save one in a jar.

Sounds awesome!
Can you get some pictures of these eggs glowing for us to look at?

They might be lacefairy eggs. If they are really glowing in the dark, you should call the Biology department of your local University and tell them what you have discovered. Chances are, you'll be able to name them.

Ill try and find a camera that wont flash in the dark (damn digital camera), the eggs are so tiny I dont think I could remove it without destroying it, I really love that its in my yard, I dont want to hurt it.

Really its like a pinpoint of light, I went back out there last night and watched the area for hours and the light came back on for a second, I got up to look at it to make sure it was really an egg (I mean what else could it be) and it immediately shut off, I sat back down an continued to watch, and about a half hour later it came back on, and stayed on, this time I did not get up to look closer, it stayed for about a half hour or so and then turned off like a dimmer switch.
My mom said while she was out there, she could see it from across the yard, and when she got closer it got dimmer.

I looked into bug eggs, it seems we do have a firefly in arizona, BUT, its eggs do not look like this, and are the wrong glowing color.

I will perhaps contact an entomologist or biologist at the UofA if the lights are back tonight, thanks for the idea!

Also, to note, I thought maybe it could have been a mineral in the brick displaying some phosphorescence of some kind, but upon investigation that could not be so, since it does not charge up with added light, and the way it was going on and off it would need some sort of shortwave stimuli, BUT, shortwave stimuli (like x rays and things in space the naked eye doesnt see) phosphorescence can only be determined via a special film, and is not visible to the naked eye. Ill report back tonight...

not like anyone really cares, but Im a dumbass, and what I thought were insect eggs, were in fact insect eggs, but they were not what was glowing. I was watching again last night, and low and behold, one spot, then two, then three, then I crawl down to see, and my goodness, A GLOW WORM!

looked like this, but his colors were way lighter than this, it really looked like a white LED light.
Anyways, I was really happy to be visited by a glow worm. never seen one in person before, well, not one that wasn't stuffed full of battery acid and batting.

I was dancing all around the yard, it is such a blessing to be visited by such a trippy insect.

Ha, Im now thinking about the entomologist I contacted, oh man, he probably thinks Im trying to hoax him or something.

sorry, lame post, just had to follow up on my shortcomings of wisdom.

[edit on 5/1/2008 by psychedeliack]

Thank you for the follow up! I just came back to this thread to check and see if you might have gotten a picture. How cool is it to find a glow worm? I thought glowworms were made up baby toys!!

Very cool thread, and thank you for following up.
A glowworm eh? Pretty cool.


Check out these new Zealand caves..( I think this is New Zealand)..The Larva hang from the caves, Looking like a field of stars.

YouTube Link

[edit on 2-5-2008 by spacedoubt]

reply to post by spacedoubt

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I know right, its weird, from researching glow worms, I guess there is a report of someone else seeing 4 glow worms in their backyard in tucson, but other than that, I thought these guys just lived in caves!

What is more weird, (not to me really) is the synchronicity of the glow worms appearance; I was looking at a cat on my wall and noticing its shining eyes and I was thinking how awesome the universe is for having such divine plan that could allow things like cats eyes to glow, and then seconds after that though, BAM white pixel of light at the base of the wall right beneath the cat.

I try to be a skeptic of the spiritual, but like I said, I only try, and have yet to be successful, the universe just throws weird stuff at me left and right to make sure I dont fall out of my insane perception.

I suppose it could be me, just wanting magic to happen around me all the time, expecting miracles and causing them to happen, synchronicities so thick they must have been scripted from beyond (glowworm just another minor addition to the constant collision of self and godhead); but anytime Ive been idle in thought for a couple of days or so, something abruptly slams me back into some mysterious realm of coincidence too surreal to be for no reason.
Anyways, thanks guys for sharing a little bit of my excitement on the glow worm!

"if you build it they will come"