Ben Pfeiffer

630PM social time and equipment check 7PM presentation You've wanted to know this since you were 9 on a summer night. How do fireflies, a.k.a. lightning bugs, flash? Why do they flash (hint: sex). How many types of fireflies (Lampyridae) can be found in river basins and riparian areas in Texas and across the U.S.? Sixth-generation Texan Ben Pfeiffer has all of the answers to light up your switchboard, including how to spot common firefly species; how to identify flash patterns in the wild; how to champion the cause (while there’s still a cause to champion); how to certify your property as a firefly habitat; and what native plants these enchanting creatures especially love. If you ask, maybe he will reveal how his website, firefly.org, came to have the best headline on the internet — Glowing. Glowing. Gone. Ben founded the nonprofit Firefly Conservation & Research in 2009 to advance firefly conservation through field research, public education, habitat protection, and partnerships with landowners and conservation groups. FCR focuses on eliminating environmental threats while empowering communities to take action. Ben studied biology at Texas State University and is a Master Naturalist. He is a member of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature firefly working group, and he frequently consults with Xerces, Texas Parks & Wildlife, The Nature Conservancy, land trusts, state and local commissions, and private property concerns, among others.