Contact Us

We love hearing from firefly fans, scientific researchers, members of the press, conservation organizations, and more. Get in touch with us regarding:

Speaking engagements. Our founder, Ben Pfeiffer, travels throughout Texas and the US to educate volunteers, families, Master Naturalist chapters, and the general public regarding firefly conservation. See below for full list of future scheduled talks. If you’d like to request a speaking engagement, please get in touch.

Research inquiries. Ben’s research spans categorization of firefly taxa, water table decline, light pollution, and native plants that encourage fireflies. If you are a scientist with a research question or collaboration idea, let us know how we can help.

Press inquiries. Writing a story about fireflies? Ben has served as an expert source for numerous nationwide publications, including Texas Monthly, USA Today, Smithsonian, Farmers Almanac, Examiner.com, Washington Post, Better Homes & Gardens, Yahoo! and many more.

Firefly questions. Tell us about your firefly sightings—this data helps us map the distribution of species. And if you have a firefly question we haven’t answered on this site, feel free to ask! We love answering questions.

Charitable donations. Please consider making a donation to Firefly.org or purchasing a firefly habitat sign. Your tax-exempt charitable donation funds our research, supports our speaking engagements, and keeps this website going. We thank you deeply for all your help.

Speaking Schedule

Ben Pfeiffer will be speaking at the following events this coming year. More dates will be added as they are scheduled. You are welcome to attend! Ben will be presenting his research on Texas firefly taxa, and he will teach you about fireflies and how to read their flashes. He will talk about the new Firefly Habitat certification sign, how you can restore and create firefly habitat, and any research updates in the field. If you have the chance to see him at one of the presentations, please be sure to say hello before or after the presentation. All presentations open to the public unless noted. All times listed are Texas/Central Time zone.

Current Events

February 27, 2025 @ 10am – Orange County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers, Hillsborough NC – Hillsborough, North Carolina. Zoom presentation.
July 29, 2024 @ 6:00pm – Calvert County Environmental Commission. Presenting on methods to improve and protect firefly habitat in city parks and preserves. Zoom & in person at Prince Frederick Library (850 Costley Way, Prince Frederick). More information on the Calvert County Environmental Commission website.
June 14-16, 2024 @ 7pm – Keynote Speaker on Saturday at 7pm. The Little Smokies Fireflies & Biodiversity Weekend in Shawnee State Park, Portsmouth, Ohio. More information on the Arc of Applachia website.
May 18, 2024 @ 7:30pm – Dark Skies and Fireflies. Crescent Bend Nature Park in Schertz, Texas. City of Schertz event – 4th year running! This is a very popular event for kids and adults. Great for large groups and people that want to see fireflies for the first time. Please bring a insect net, chair or blanket for sitting on lawn. Collection jars will be given out and some nets are available for those that don’t have them. Presentation will last 45min followed by Firefly Walk in the Nature Preserve. Trail is accessible for all groups and abilities.
April 22, 2024 @ 6pm – Fireflies of the Texas Hill Country. Fredericksburg 4-H. Fredericksburg, Texas
April 4, 2024 @ 7pm – Fireflies of Texas & Gardening for Fireflies. River Chase Gardeners. River Chase Club House in New Braunfels, TX. Open to Public. See link for directions.
March 7, 2024 @ 7pm – Spring Is in the Air – Turn Your Garden Into a Pollinator Paradise | March Learning Lab webinar. Interfaith Partners for the Chesapeake. Ben will speak on panel with Kevin Carpenter-Driscoll with the city of Greenbelt, Maryland who helped create Maryland’s first Firefly Sanctuary. See website for free registration. Open to Public.

Archived Events

Interview on KGNB/KNBT 92.1 with John Rayborn – Common Sense Gardening – May 30, 2020. Ben discusses why fireflies are so fascinating, how they glow, and ways people can help them from declining. He also discusses how Gardeners specifically are some of their best allies. Fast forward to 10:30min to hear the interview in Part 1.

firefly · Ben Pfeiffer Interview – Fireflies in Texas – KNBT Radio (Part 1)

firefly · Ben Pfeiffer Interview – Fireflies in Texas – KNBT Radio (Part 2)

firefly · Ben Pfeiffer Interview – Fireflies in Texas – KNBT Radio (Part 3)

Past Speaking Events

August 15, 2023 @ 2:00pm – Glowing, Glowing, Gone – Texas Fireflies. Morning Glory Garden Club. Tye Preston Memorial Library, Canyon Lake, TX.
June 27, 2023 @ 7:00pm – Texas Fireflies & Conservation Issues They Face. Firefly Texas Outdoor Woman’s Network (TOWN) – Austin, Texas. Monthly Meeting. Join this fun group for a presentation on Texas & US fireflies. Open to all ages and the public. Meeting starts at 6pm, presentation at 7pm. Northwest Recreation Center. 2913 Northland Dr, Austin, TX 78757.
May 20, 2023 @ 7:30pm – Dark Skies and Fireflies. Crescent Bend Nature Park in Schertz, Texas. City of Schertz – Parks and Recreation event. 3 years running, back by popular demand for 2023! This is an excellent event for kids and adults. Don’t miss it! Entertaining and educational firefly talk suitable for kids and adults, followed by firefly walk & field ID. Free collection vials provided. Bring net and chair. All ages and experience levels welcome. Perfect for large groups. 12780 W Schaefer Rd, Cibolo, TX 78108
May 2, 2023 @ 7:00pm – Discover the Fireflies of Central Texas. Native Plant Society of Texas – Boerne chapter meeting. A firefly walk to the creek will follow 8-8:30pm. Bring a net if you have one. Collection vials will be provided! Ben will ID any species collected. This is a do not miss Firefly walk at the start of firefly season in Texas. Cibolo Center for Conservation, 140 City Park Rd, Boerne, TX 7800.
April 29, 2023 @ 1:00pm – Fireflies of South & Central Texas. Green Spaces Alliance of South Texas. Labor Serena Community Garden, 1246 Chalmers Ave, San Antonio, TX 78211. Public welcome.
April 20, 2023 @ 6:00pm – Fireflies of the Texas Hill Country. Texas Master Naturalists – Lindheimer Chapter. Tye Preston Memorial Library, Canyon Lake, TX.
February 12, 2023 @ 2:00pm – Fireflies of the United States. Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, 1635 River Road, New Hope, Pennsylvania. Zoom presentation.
November 21, 2022 @ 6:30pm – Lost Pines Master Naturalists. Fireflies of South Central Texas & Piney Woods. Open to public. Lockhart State Park, Rec. Hall, in person or through the Zoom. Please access the chapters website for Zoom link.
August 19, 2022 @ 7:30pm – The Incredible Fireflies of Texas. South Texas Mensa, a local group of American Mensa Ltd. Open to public. 903 Melissa Drive, San Antonio, TX 78213
May 21, 2022 @ 6:30pm – Dark Skies and Fireflies. Crescent Bend Nature Park in Schertz, Texas. Back by popular demand. Firefly Talk, followed by firefly walk & field ID with adults and kids. Bring net and chair. All ages welcome. 12780 W Schaefer Rd, Cibolo, TX 78108
April 12, 2022 @ 7pm – Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT) – Guadalupe Co. Chapter – Seguin, Texas. Zoom presentation, possibly in person.
March 15, 2022 @ 7pm – Balcones Canyonlands Master Naturalist Chapter, Concordia University, Austin, Texas. Zoom presentation.
February 3, 2022 @ 11am-1pm – Western Firefly Project – Working group discussion put on by Xerces.
January 24, 2022 @ 7pm – Building Firefly Habitat & Considerations for the Planting Natives for Fireflies Species in Texas – Zoom Presentation – Native Plant Society of Texas (NPSOT) Comal Co. Chapter – New Braunfels, Texas.
July 26, 2021 @ 6:45pm – Fireflies of Texas Zoom Presentation – Indian Trail Chapter – Texas Master Naturalists – Waxahachie, Texas.
July 7, 2021 @ 6pm – Fireflies of Texas Zoom Presentation – Heartwood Chapter – Texas Master Naturalists
June 15, 2021 @ 7pm – Native Plants & Fireflies – How to Garden for Fireflies – NPSOT Austin. Look out email for Zoom presentation link.
May 29, 2021 @ 7pm – Dark Skies and Fireflies + Firefly Walk – Crescent Bend Park provided by the City of Schertz. First in-person talk and firefly walk! 100+ people. Bring the kids, insect net and a chair. Register via Schertz Parks & Rec.
February 16, 2021 @ 7pm – Firefly Zoom Talk – Where is Texas Now w/ Firefly Conservation? Discussion on Texas species and advice on protecting habitat.
September 20, 2020 @ 6:30pm – Armand Bayou Nature Preserve, Pasadena, Texas – Fireflies in East Texas. Presentation to train volunteers about Texas fireflies in their area.
June 18, 2020 @ 6pm – Firefly Talk @ 6pm with Firefly Cocktails for adults. Bring the kids! Followed by Firefly Walk & Advanced Field ID on Cibolo Creek. Meet at 6pm at Cibolo Nature Center in Boerne, TX, hike to creek will begin 30min prior to dusk.
May 2, 2020 @ 7pm – Crescent Bend Nature Park in Schertz, TX. Firefly talk at 7pm on the park grounds, followed by a firefly field ID on Cibolo Creek right afterward. Open to public, adults and children welcome. Bring a butterfly net if you have one and a chair.
April 28, 2020 @ 6:30pm – Native Plant Society of Texas – San Antonio. Talk will be about fireflies of Texas and native plants important to them. Open to Public. Location: Lions Field, 2809 Broadway St, San Antonio, TX 78209. More information on their NPSOT website.
March 11, 2020 @ 6-8pm – Wimberley Village Library series called Attracting Wildlife to Your Backyard. Talk will be on Texas Fireflies & Attracting Fireflies to Your Land. Open to Public. Location: 400 FM 2325 Wimberley, TX 78676
Jan 27, 2020 @ 7-8pm – Fireflies of South & Central Texas – Guadalupe County Master Naturalists. AgriLife Building, 210 E Live Oak St, Seguin, TX 78155.
October 19, 2019 @ 1pm – Texas Master Naturalist Annual Meeting in Rockwall, Texas. Speaking in Room: Bell Harbor C.
October 12, 2019 @ 10am – Wild Birds Unlimited in New Braunfels, next to HEB off Hwy 46 – Presenting on fireflies in the Edwards Plateau region of Texas.
October 6, 2019 @ 3-6pm – New Braunfels Science Fest – New Braunfels Farmers Market Ground. STEM education event for kids and adults.
July 15, 2019 @ 6:30pm – Gardening for Fireflies – Comal County Master Gardeners. Meet at GVTC Auditorium.
June 20, 2019 @ 7pm – Fireflies of Central Texas – Cibolo Nature Center in Boerne, TX. A firefly walk and field ID at center will follow directly afterward.
May 17, 2019 @ 7:30pm – Advanced Texas Firefly Field Identification & Survey. Guadalupe River State Park at Honey Creek. Meet at Rust House at 7:30. Call park headquarters to RSVP.
May 16, 2019 @ 6pm – “Central Texas Fireflies – Advanced Training” – Lindheimer Chapter Master Naturalist Meeting. Tye Preston Memorial Library.
March 23, 2019 @ 2:10pm – “Fireflies of Texas & Native Plant for Fireflies” – NPSOT Spring Symposium at Lady Bird Johnson Center. Main auditorium. Register for event at NPSOT.org or get location information at Wildflower.org

October 20, 2018 @ 2:15pm – NPSOT Annual Symposium – More info here: https://npsot.org/wp/symposium2018/
October 27, 2018 @ 2:15pm – Texas Master Naturalists Annual Meeting – More info here: https://txmn.org/2018-annual-meeting/
May 3, 2018 @ 7pm – Presenting on Central Texas Fireflies – River Chase Clubhouse @ River Chase Subdivision, New Braunfels, Texas
March 4, 2017 @ 2pm – Kerr Wildlife Management Center. Advanced training for TPWD Park Rangers & Volunteers working in Gillespie & Kerr Counties.
April 22, 2017 @ 9-3pm – Earth Day – Firefly educational table at Tye Preston Memorial Library, Canyon Lake, Texas. Open to the public all day.
April 25, 2017 @ 7pm – Texas Outdoor Womens Network
May 5-7, 2017 – Texas Pollinator Powwow – Speaker & Exhibitor – Fireflies of East Texas and other regions. See more here: TexasPollinatorPowwow.org
June 22, 2017 @ 7pm – Hays Co. Master Naturalists at Freeman Ranch, San Marcos, Texas
June 28, 2017 @ 7pm – Capital Area Master Naturalists (CAMN) at Austin Nature Center, Austin, Texas
September 9, 2017 @ 7pm – Native Plant Society of Texas, Wildscapes Workshop, Houston, Texas
July 25, 2016 @ 7pm – Austin Butterfly Forum. Fireflies of Texas – Glowing, Glowing, Gone.