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July 2021 Meeting
July 26, 2021 @ 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Fireflies
Ben Pfeiffer
Location: First United Methodist Church, Waxahachie
View remotely: Zoom
Prepare for an illuminating virtual journey through Texas. Discover the bioluminescent creatures that on most nights light up the evenings at the beginning of dusk from spring to fall. This highly educational and fun talk will discuss the types of fireflies (Lampyridae) found in Texas. Ben will present his research on Texas firefly taxa with an emphasis on fireflies that occur in nearby river basins and riparian areas. You’ll also learn why fireflies flash and how they use light to communicate to potential mates. He will show attendees how to identify Texas firefly species and discuss specific threats to why fireflies are disappearing in many areas of Texas. For the conservationist, Ben will also talk on how to create a good habitat for fireflies, plants that help them, and ways to you can help save many of the special species unique only to Texas from possible extinction.
Ben Pfeiffer is founder of Firefly Conservation & Research at Firefly.org, a firefly conservation and educational non-profit. Firefly.org is currently the internet’s most visited website about fireflies. Ben is a recognized public speaker and science educator whose research work focuses on Texas firefly species. He is working to document the state’s firefly diversity and it’s natural history regarding their life cycle, preferred habitat and unique flash patterns. His research is helping to illuminate much of this never before collected information about the state’s incredibly rich firefly diversity so that others can work to preserve and enjoy it.
He is a member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Firefly Working group. He recently completed the Red List Extinction Risk Assessments for Texas firefly species that will be published in March 2021.
Ben studied Biology at Texas State University and is a certified Master Naturalist. He is a lifelong 6th generation Texan and has spent most of his life working to understand Texas ecology and its unique diversity.