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Natural History Museum entomologist briefs Utah County on Western Firefly Project
Summary
Christy Bills of the Natural History Museum of Utah described a citizen‑science effort documenting bioluminescent firefly populations across the Intermountain West, urged residents to report sightings and avoid collecting specimens, and noted Utah County has numerous verified populations.
Christy Bills, an entomologist at the Natural History Museum of Utah, told the Utah County Commission on May 14 that the Western Firefly Project has documented bioluminescent firefly populations across much of the Intermountain West and that Utah County contains numerous verified sites.
Bills said the project began in 2013 after she and a BYU collaborator, entomologist Seth Bybee, started soliciting reports from residents, state park staff and volunteers. The project relies on public reports during a short annual flight season—late May through early July—and on follow‑up verification by vetted volunteers or museum staff. "If you see fireflies please report to our project and enjoy but don't collect, respect private property, and keep skies dark," Bills told the commission.
Bills described outreach methods the project has used, including postcards to state parks and widespread media outreach. She said the museum has verified sightings in 27 of Utah's 29 counties and that the program expanded after confirming populations in neighboring states including Colorado, Wyoming, Nevada and Idaho. The presentation noted that the species are often associated with irrigated pastures and wet areas and can coexist with livestock.
The entomologist said the project keeps precise location data restricted to researchers because the public map had been used to access private property. She suggested that managed, small‑town tourism might offer economic opportunities, while cautioning that bright lighting and collecting could harm limited local populations.
Bills thanked the commission for the opportunity to present and invited questions. No substantive action or follow‑up assignment to staff was recorded in the meeting transcript.
