International Firefly Symposium

About

The International Firefly Symposium, held every three years, brings together a diverse global community, including researchers, students, conservationists, naturalists, educators, artists, and others passionate about firefly research and conservation. The 2025 IFS aims to be a space for sharing and exchanging updated knowledge on the ecology, behavior, morphology, and cultural significance of fireflies and other bioluminescent coleopterans, while fostering collaborative partnerships. We will also discuss new methodologies and strategies to protect threatened firefly species and their habitats. Our main goal is to raise awareness and appreciation of fireflies across cultures by blending artistic and scientific perspectives on these amazing insects.

México is a hotspot for fireflies, with nearly 300 species recorded to date! In the country, a large community of researchers from various universities, alongside members of civil society, ejidatarios, comuneros, and owners of firefly sighting centers, are actively engaged in studying these wonderful insects. Together, we strive to uncover new insights about these enchanting creatures while seeking to harmonize tourism with conservation efforts. Our mission is to widely disseminate knowledge among the population through various means.

FIN Steering Committee 2022–2025

Christopher Cratsley (USA) - Chair
Sonny Wong Choong Hay (Malaysia) - Honorary secretary
Vor Yiu (Hong Kong) - Honorary treasurer
Wan F.A. Jusoh (Malaysia) - Australia-Pacific representative
Anchana Thancharoen (Thailand) - Asia representative
Raphaël de Cock (Belgium) - Europe representative
Sarah Lower (USA) – North America representative
Cisteil Xinum Pérez Hernández (México) – México & Central America representative

Organizing Committee in México:

Cisteil X. Pérez Hernández - Michoacana University of San Nicolás de Hidalgo and IUCN Firefly Specialist Group
Sandra García de Jesús - Autonomous University of Tlaxcala
Juan Suárez Sánchez- Autonomous University of Tlaxcala
Guillermo Alejandro Pérez Flores - Autonomous University of Tlaxcala
Ek del Val - Institute for Ecosystem and Sustainability Research, UNAM
Carlos Cordero - Institute of Ecology, UNAM
Paola Velasco - Institute of Anthropological Research, UNAM
E. Daniel Trujillo Castillo - El Colegio de Tlaxcala, A. C.
Eligio García Serrano - Fund for the Conservation of the Neovolcanic Belt C.A.
Marina Sánchez Luna - Autonomous University of Tlaxcala
Tania López-Palafox - IUCN Firefly Specialist Group Regional Coordinator
Pablo Jaramillo - Institute for Ecosystem and Sustainability Research , UNAM
Karina Sánchez Echeverría - Michoacana University of San Nicolás de Hidalgo

Scientific Committee:

Carlos Cordero
Ek del Val
Cisteil Pérez
Christopher Cratsley
Sarah Lower
Wan FA Jusoh
Anchana Thancharoen
Paola Velasco
Luis Mendoza Cuenca

Participant institutions

Faculty of Agrobiology, Autonomous University of Tlaxcala
Fireflyers International Network
IUCN Species Survival Commissions - Firefly Specialist Group
Faculty of Biology, Michoacana University of San Nicolás de Hidalgo
Institute for Ecosystem and Sustainability Research, Institute of Ecology and Institute of Anthropological Research, National Autonomous University of México
The Fund for the Conservation of the Neovolcanic Belt C.A.
El Colegio de Tlaxcala, A. C.
Project Fireflies from Michoacán

Our history and previous events

International Firefly Meeting, Portugal, 2007

The series of meetings that has become the International Firefly Symposium arose from a meeting hosted in 2007 by the Parque Biológico de Gaia, a center for environmental education and a nature reserve in Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal. The 2007 meeting, officially called the International Firefly Meeting, was later renamed the Firefly Network Meeting. The philosophy behind organizing the first Firefly Meeting was to bring together people from around the world with an interest in fireflies (and other bioluminescent beetles) at a venue open to not only scientists, but educators, naturalists and artists. Artistic activities involving fireflies represent an essential link in promoting these insects and their conservation to a wider audience, especially those works combining art, science and education. By providing a venue for an international meeting, the organizers hoped to foster collaborative partnerships between those interested in many different aspects of fireflies (Dr. Raphaël De Cock).

2008 International Firefly Symposium, Thailand

In 2008, the Queen Sirikit’s Botanic Garden Organization and the Committee for the Fireflies in Thailand Project organized the 1st International Firefly Symposium in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Mr. Bampot Napompeth served as the keynote speaker. Thailand was the host to honor Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, on her 72nd birthday. She's also the founder of the firefly conservation project in Thailand and the Firefly Committee under the royal initiative. The Firefly Network Meeting was held in conjunction with the symposium, and the meeting committee formally decided that it would be beneficial to hold a symposium every two years. There was an excursion to Amphawa Floating Market, the most famous firefly-watching site in Thailand, located in Samut Songkhram Province.

2010 International Firefly Symposium, Malaysia

In 2010, the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM) and the Malaysian Nature Society organized the 2nd International Firefly Symposium in Subang, Selangor, Malaysia. Drs. Nobuyoshi Ohba and Lesley Ballantyne served as keynote speakers. An additional activity associated with but held prior to this meeting was a training course on the Identification and Taxonomy of South East Asian Fireflies, taught by Drs. Lesley Ballantyne and Ming-Luen Jeng (July 27-31, 2010). The Network Meeting was held on the last day of the symposium. At the 2010 symposium, it was formally decided that in order to provide more time for planning future symposia as well as for conducting firefly projects between meetings, symposia would be held every three years. At the 2010 meeting, the University of Florida was elected as the venue for the International Firefly Symposium in 2013.

2014 International Firefly Symposium, Florida

Due to several unforeseen scheduling issues, the meeting originally scheduled for 2013 was moved to 2014. In August of 2014, the University of Florida hosted the 2014 International Firefly Symposium in Gainesville, Florida. In the interest of simplicity, the numbering system for the symposium was dropped from the title and replaced with the year the meeting will be held. The University of Florida has been a center for firefly research for over 45 years, due to the influential career of Dr. James E. Lloyd, professor emeritus. Dr. Lloyd served as the keynote speaker at the 2014 meeting. At the end of the 2014 meeting, Taiwan was elected as the venue for the 2017 International Firefly Symposium.

2017 International Firefly Symposium, Taiwan

The 2017 International Firefly Symposium was held in Taipei, Taiwan on April 24-26, with 188 registered attendees. During the FIN General Meeting at the end of the conference, members decided to establish a FIN Steering Committee, and begin work on a website, logo, official World Firefly Day, and an IUCN Firefly Specialist Group. The Parque Biológico de Gaia in Portugal offered to once again host the 2020 International Firefly Symposium, and this location was later confirmed via online vote.

2022 International Firefly Symposium, Gaia, Portugal

The 2022 International Firefly Symposium (originally planned for 2020 but postponed due to Covid) was held in the Parque Biológico at Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal on 15-18 June. This time 68 registered attendees attended (33 speakers, 20 poster presentations and 33 watched online). Abstracts can be found here. Keynote speakers were Arja Kaitala (session Ecology & Behaviour), Francesco Mariotti (session Art & Society), Manuel Grosso-Silva (session Taxonomy, Phylogeny & Genetics), Yuichi Oba (session Bioluminescence, Biochemistry & Physiology), Sara Lewis & Sonny Wong (session Conservation Biology), and Fabien Verfaillie (session Citizen Science). The Firefly International Network General meeting was held during the last day and here the activity, financial reports and announcement of the 2022-2025 steering committee were presented. Mexico was voted as the venue for the 2025 International Firefly Symposium. Young scientist awards for oral and poster presentations went to Ella Fishman, Stéphanie Vaz N. Campos, Margot Popecki and Yara Maquitico-Rocha. Two excursions to see Portuguese firefly biodiversity were held at the Parque Biológico de Gaia. As touristic and cultural pasttimes there was the Vila Nova de Gaia guided city tour with visit to the Port Wine Cellars and Douro Estuary Local Nature Reserve and a post-symposium all day excursion, Boat Cruise on the River Douro. During and after the IFS there were discussion boards and workshops of the IUCN Firefly Specialist Group when first drafts were compiled of red lists for threatened friefly species of Europe and for firefly species of mangrove habitats of Asia.