The University of Texas at Austin Brackenridge Field Laboratory (BFL) is a unique urban research station located on 88 acres of land that borders the Colorado River along Lake Austin Boulevard. From the early days of the University of Texas, biologists have used this tract of land for research, teaching, and specimen collection, and since the establishment of the Field Laboratory in 1967, BFL has continued to evolve as a center for biodiversity research in Texas.

The main 18,279 sq. ft laboratory building provides indoor research facilities, classroom and computer lab space, and houses the UT entomology collection as well as the Fire Ant Lab, Insect Biodiversity and Systematics lab, and Chemical Ecology Lab. Indoor facilities also include an animal rearing room, wet lab, plant dryer, natural temperature laboratory, indoor greenhouse and living cycad collection with attached funigation room, library, darkroom, workshop, and 2 constant temperature rooms. The Resident Manager's office and living quarters are also housed in the laboratory building.

Outdoor facilities available to researchers include:
several greenhouses; 44 x 500 gallon concrete, above-ground fish tanks with overflow ponds; 16 x 4ft deep small concrete tanks; 8 x 1 acre population enclosures with non-climbable walls, electricity, and central pond, 4x1 acre population enclosures with non-climbable walls, electricity, and water faucets, 8 x 30ftx30ft populations enclosures, 3 acre deerproof fenced experimental garden with water, 7 30ftx30ft concrete tanks, boathouse and ramp to Colorado River, 2 water wells and wellhouses, equipment sheds, duck blind, and weather station. Map of BFL

The Brackenridge Field Laboratory property is comprised of areas of rich natural vegetation which include a native bluestem prairie, old pasture land, former quarry, Firefly Meadow, Pecan Bottoms, Colorado River and juniper woods.

Entomology students collect at fish tanks

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