{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Big Ideas TXST","title":"Episode 46: Secret lives of fireflies with Ben Pfeiffer","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2173,"description":"Texas State University alumnus Ben Pfeiffer, founder of Firefly Conservation & Research, joins the Big Ideas TXST podcast to discuss the fascinating insects known as fireflies and the threats and pressures that threaten their existence.\nA recognized firefly researcher and Texas-certified master naturalist, Pfeiffer founded the nonprofit Firefly Conservation & Research in 2009. \n“It was maybe 2008 when I noticed the fireflies in South Texas were disappearing,” Pfeiffer said. “There weren’t as many as I remembered when I was a kid. And then I heard a report on firefly decline on NPR Radio that confirmed it.”\nPfeiffer was uniquely suited to tackle this problem. He is a 6th generation Texan who grew up exploring the hills of the Texas Hill Country and brush country of South Texas where he developed a deep understanding of the state’s unique ecology. Pfeiffer is also a beekeeper and certified-naturalist with Texas Parks & Wildlife. He attended Texas State University in San Marcos where he earned a bachelor of science degree in biology. He combined that with a background in marketing, web development and SEO to build a website and foundation that would help him and others take action. FURTHER READING:Shedding Light on FirefliesNight Sky Tourist  The Flight of the Texas Fireflies","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/xa1yKawoGipLVJ8lyAQylEdfjm2XRIIS8GpZuQUr58Y/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9mZDMw/OWNhMGE1NDZlZWFk/ZmIwNDA4YTY5NWRj/NDhiNy5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}