After spending the last several summers pursuing his own passion for fireflies, Allen Yow ’86 of Jacksonville, Illinois, has teamed up with the Morgan County Audubon Society to hold firefly festivals in his yard and to conduct firefly walks in the Jacksonville area.
Yow’s love for nature and for learning more about the bug was recently highlighted in an online feature story published by the Jacksonville Journal-Courier.
You can read more of Yow’s story here.
Yow has been a bird watcher for more than 40 years and has always had a general interest in nature. He knew there were different species of fireflies but really didn’t give it much thought until one night in his yard six years ago when he witnessed varied firefly colors and patterns that really piqued his interest.
“I wanted to learn more, but I was kind of surprised that I couldn’t find very much information in Illinois about the different firefly species,” Yow said. “I found a book that led me to make contact with some people that actually study fireflies. They have been very kind to share information and images, to provide me with material so I can give visual programs.”
Yow has lived in Jacksonville since 1969 and works as an attorney with Rammelkamp Bradney, PC.
At Wabash, Yow was part of the Sigma Chi fraternity and majored in Classics.
