The other evening as I was shutting the shutters, a little later than usual, it was already dark.
Suddenly a little light in the grass at the far end of the garden caught my eye. You know how a cat, or dog, or other little creature can look like it’s got a light in its eye when a headlight shines on it? Well I thought this must be something like that. Probably a wee creature like a mouse or something.
I started to walk towards it and the first thing which struck me was that the light didn’t flicker, and it didn’t disappear. Now, in my mind, if a light in a creature’s eye is just a reflection from another light then as the animal moves its head the light will “go out”. This wasn’t happening so I began to doubt that it was a mouse or whatever after all.
When I got up really close I saw where the light was coming from – an insect in the grass. It’s body had two bars shining as bright green as any LED light.
I tried to get a photo.
OK, I admit, this is hardly a convincing photograph, but until I learn how to do macro photography in the pitch dark with an iPhone this is as good as it gets!
I quite like that the photograph actually captures the mystery of what I saw, rather than the more distinct appearance of the actual insect (which I saw once I turned on the torch feature on my phone)
A bit of research later revealed that what was in the grass was a glow-worm.
Well, that’s another first for me. I’ve never seen one of them in real life till now.
Something new to see every day?
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