Local Audubon Society members to host Firefly Festival and Viewing at their home

By Benjamin Cox on June 7, 2018 at 9:01am

The National Audubon Society is well known as a bird protection group in the United States, but one local attorney is putting on a different hat to host a special viewing event for the Morgan County Audubon Society that will feature a different type of small flyer.

The Morgan County Audubon Society Firefly Festival will be next Saturday the 16th from 6:30-10:30 pm at the home of Allen Yow and his wife, Rasha. As a guest recently on WLDS’ AM Conversation, Allen Yow explained the common confusion of fireflies versus lightning bugs.

“If you say lightning bug, you’re referring to a firefly. It’s more of a regional deviation as far as the term. When we talk lightning bugs/fireflies, we’re talking the same thing. At our home, on June 16th, we’re having an event for the Morgan County Audubon Society promoting fireflies, and we’ll be providing information about the different types of fireflies, their ecology, biology, and how we can promote fireflies in our neighborhoods and yards.”

Yow says that humans are, sadly, having a very steady bad effect on the firefly population.

“The research that I have conducted – the reading that I’ve done – clearly indicates that firefly populations are declining. It’s suspected that that is due to loss of habitat. We develop land, urbanize, and we’re draining off a lot of land that is prime firefly habitat. Also, the use of pesticides is clearly taking a toll on the firefly population, and also our light pollution. The flashing that you see from a firefly is part of their mating process, that’s how they identify and locate mates. It’s believed that extra light that we have in our yards interferes with that. So, unfortunately, our human activities are adversely affecting the fireflies.”

Allen Yow and his wife are welcoming everyone in the local community to attend this event.

“We have it as a Morgan County Audubon Society event, and we would love for people to feel free to drop by. Members of the general public are welcome, and if they’d like to show up, say, around 7:30 or 8 at our home… Hopefully, the fireflies show up. Unfortunately so far, the activity in my backyard has been rather quiet compared to last year, but we’re hoping that will pick up.”

For more information on the Morgan County Audubon Society’s Firefly Festival, listen to our full interview with Allen Yow under the news tab at WLDS.com.