Programs

Lighting Up the Night:
Gardening for Fireflies

Wednesday, May 13, 2026, Noon
Elijah Crabtree
Education Specialist and Naturalist, Arc of Appalachia

Elijah Crabtree will begin with an introduction on the fascinating natural history of fireflies across the globe, and here at home — where our eastern temperate forests host high levels of firefly biodiversity. Following this discussion on the fascinating nature of our flashy summer companions, Elijah will explain the current threats facing Ohio’s fireflies and how each of us can take action in our own backyard to not only protect them but even bring them back!

Elijah is an Education Specialist and Naturalist for the Arc of Appalachia. He was born and raised in Chillicothe, Ohio where he acquired a passion and insatiable interest for the natural and cultural history of Appalachia and the Western Allegheny Plateau. This led him to his former on-site residency at the Tremper Mound – a newly-protected, major Hopewell Earthwork – overseeing its development as a protected cultural and natural preserve, and as a management and educational hub for the region. In 2025, he joined the administrative team as an Education Specialist to organize, coordinate and lead many of the Arc’s Naturalist Programs. Elijah is an avid student of natural sciences and particularly loves spending his time studying Ohio’s geology and botany.