How Radim Schreiber Photographed One Firefly’s Flash of Hope

Photographer Radim Schreiber discusses capturing his image of a punctuate firefly—the Garden for Wildlife Photo Contest grand prize winner—in his backyard

By Delaney McPherson // Photo by Radim Schreiber
Wildlife Photos
Mar 26, 2025

GROWING UP IN WHAT WAS THEN CZECHOSLOVAKIA, Radim Schreiber rarely saw fireflies. When he came to the United States for college and took up insect photography, he became obsessed with them. Over the next 15 years, he traveled the world photographing fireflies, but he captured this image—the 2024 Garden for Wildlife® Photo Contest grand prize winner—of a punctate firefly (Photinus punctulatus) in his own backyard in Fairfield, Iowa.

“It’s rare for me to catch a photo like this, where the firefly sits on a flower and flashes,” Schreiber says. “It was great luck to be able to capture it like that. The flower acted like a diffuser, and the yellow light of the firefly illuminated the tiny white [wood anemone] flowers.”

Firefly populations have been declining in recent years, and scientists estimate that one in three of North America’s 170 or so firefly species are in danger of going extinct. Still, Schreiber feels optimistic, especially as he shares his love of fireflies with new audiences and meets other enthusiasts. Despite his focus on a single subject, he never ceases to find joy in his work.

“I get to enjoy fireflies around the world. Each firefly species can create a different experience,” he says. “I just love hanging out with fireflies. They’ve been helping me navigate through my life.” See more of Schreiber’s work and see the Garden for Wildlife Photo Contest winners and honorable mentions.