Aaron Fairweather, a PhD student in the School of Environmental Sciences, explained why fireflies are important pollinators in an episode of TVO Kid’s Leo’s Pollinators. 

Throughout the episode, Fairweather also spoke about firefly larvae, different species of fireflies in North America and how fireflies produce their light. 

Fairweather is completing their PhD under Dr. Nigel Raine, the Rebanks Family Chair in Pollinator Conservation in U of G’s School of Environmental Sciences (SES); they are co-supervised by SES professor Dr. Jonathan Schmidt. 

Fairweather’s research interests lie in exploring eusocial insect behaviour including colony establishment and foraging, as well as investigating the sublethal effects of neonicotinoid pesticides on bee and ant behaviour.