Instructor: Dr. Paul McKenzie (US Fish and Wildlife Service Emeritus) The purpose of this class is for participants to know the differences between grasses, sedges and rushes; obtain a thorough knowledge of the grass flower and variations among different grass Tribes in the SE Appalachians; have extensive practice using dichotomous keys in lab; and examine and identify grasses observed in the field using principles and concepts learned in class. Prerequisites: None but participants who have experience using dichotomous keys in a plant identification class will be able to grasp the material sooner than those who don’t. Cost: $500 course fee + $300 housing fee (if staying on-site) Click here for the syllabus.

Stay tuned for course description and syllabus. Visit https://highlandsbiological.org/2022-academic-course-schedule/ for more information.

Dr. Luiz Silveira (WCU) Did you know… That fireflies are beetles?  That our planet is home to over 2,200 firefly species? That all firefly species make light as larvae (immature stage), but many don't do it in the adult stage? That many fireflies can be identified by their species-specific flash pattern?  That over a dozen firefly species can be found on the Highlands Plateau?  Come join Western Carolina University entomologist Dr. Luiz Da Silveira for our first “Fireflies 101” workshop, where participants will learn about the natural history of fireflies, ways of observing and telling them apart, and what we can do to make our gardens more “glowing.” The workshop will conclude with a night walk around the Highlands Biological Station grounds and Botanical Garden, where we will learn to identify the fireflies we encounter and decipher their light-flash conversations. Dr. Luiz Da Silveira is an Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at Western Carolina University. He received his Ph.D. in Ecology at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Afterwards he worked one year as a post-doc at the University of Georgia. Luiz specializes on the taxonomy of South American fireflies and on global biogeography of the Lampyridae. Cost: $150 Click here to register.