October 29, 2025
12-1pm
tickets $0 - $5
Join Bay Nature and lepidopterist, artist, and author Liam O'Brien for a talk about his newly released book, Butterflies of the Bay Area and (Slightly) Beyond: An Illustrated Guide, on Wednesday, October 22 from 12pm–1pm. This talk will take you through the butterfly world of Liam O’Brien as he transitioned from being a professional stage actor to one of the foremost lepidopterists in the Bay Area. Liam will share his experience surveying the butterflies in San Francisco to working toward their conservation, returning mission blues back to Twin Peaks. Join this captivating talk for to hear about Liam‘s journey from enthusiast to professional. This talk is free for Bay Nature Members and $5 for Nonmembers.
Biography:
Liam O’Brien‘s stage career ultimately peaked with the performance on Broadway of Les Misérables for three years. A western Tiger swallowtail flew through the yard while he was doing a play at the Marines memorial in San Francisco. He bought a field guide that week and join the Lepidopterists’ Society later in the month. He has spearheaded many conservation projects in San Francisco around butterflies: the Green Hairstreak Corridor, Tigers on market Street, variable checker spots and California ringlets back to the Presidio and Mission blues back to Twin Peaks. He is more proud of any of his conservation work than any moment on the American stage. Liam was the recipient of Bay Nature Magazine’s 2014 Environmental Education Award.
This event is inspired by the excerpt of Liam's new book, which is featured in our Fall 2025 Print Magazine.