Podcast
Bug Banter with the Xerces Society
Hosted by The Xerces Society · EN
Join us as we explore the fascinating world of invertebrates and discover how to help these extraordinary animals.
The Xerces Society is a nationwide non-profit organization that works to conserve invertebrates and their habitats.
For more information go to xerces.org.
25episodes
Episodes
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Beyond the Backyard: Building Pollinator Habitat in the Community
5d ago00:24:53Tap to summarizeWe spend a lot of time talking about how we can create habitat for pollinators in yards, but there are other spaces too. So if you don’t have a yard or even if you do and you want to expand your impact, no problem! Today we are going to explore how to create pollinator habitat beyond your home. Joining us to talk about this is Kelly Gill, Pollinator Conservation Specialist and Partner Biologist with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service for Xerces. Kelly provides advice and support on planning, designing, installing, and managing habitat in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Kelly also works with staff and research partners to develop technical guidelines and provide training on pollinator conservation practices.---Photo: Kelly Gill (c)Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.
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Goodbye Grass, Hello Bugs: Bringing Life Back to Our Yards
2w ago00:49:36Tap to summarizeThe color green is associated with a clean, healthy environment. When we see a green space, we often think it’s good, whether it is a beautiful forest or a neighborhood lawn. All plants provide for wildlife, right? Unfortunately, no. Some landscapes, in particular lawns, provide very little to no habitat. So, what can folks do to change their landscape? How can they rethink or replace their lawn to support wildlife?To explore this topic, we are joined by Emily May and Stephanie Frischie. Emily is part of our pesticide reduction team at Xerces. With a focus on pesticides in agriculture, Emily works with farmers, researchers, conservation professionals, and agencies across the U.S. to reduce pesticide risks to pollinators and other beneficial insects, support the adoption of ecologically sound pest management practices, and expand high-quality habitat in working lands. Stephanie Frischie is an Agronomist and Native Plant Materials Specialist at Xerces. Stephanie brings technical expertise on native plant materials, native plants, and plant-insect interactions to her work across conservation agronomy; plant ecology; ecological restoration; and native seed production, use, policy, research, and quality — all to improve the supply and growth of important plant species for restoration of insect habitat.---Photo: Emily MayThank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.
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The Story of a Little Blue Butterfly: The Karner Blue
May 500:37:00Tap to summarizeThe Xerces Society is named for a blue butterfly, the Xerces blue, which went extinct in the 1940s. Luckily, there are other blues, some of which are doing fine and we can see regularly in our parks and neighborhoods, little butterflies who flash bright blue when they move their wings. Others, unfortunately, are not doing so well. In this episode, we are highlighting one of those, the Karner blue.Joining us to talk more about this butterfly is Julie Michaelson. Julie works for the Xerces Society as a pollinator conservation planner and NRCS partner biologist covering the Connecticut River Valley in New England. In this role, Julie collaborates with the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service and the American Farmland Trust to provide technical support, training, and conservation planning assistance to farmers and land managers seeking to develop pollinator and beneficial insect habitat. Prior to joining Xerces, Julie was an environmental steward with New York state parks where she monitored and managed habitat for the endangered Karner blue butterfly, the topic of today’s conversation.---Cover Photo: Justin Meissen CC BY-SA 2.0Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.
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Poo Fighters and Nutrient Recyclers: the Incredible Dung Beetle
Apr 2100:35:24Tap to summarizeFew beetles are revered as sacred, seen as a symbol of rebirth, represented in ancient art, and to this day are used commercially for waste disposal, but dung beetles are. And if that’s not impressive enough they use the Milky Way to navigate. Truly amazing animals.To dig a deeper into the lives of dung beetles, we are joined today by Katie Harris. Katie works for the Xerces Society as a Pollinator Conservation Specialist and NRCS Partner Biologist in Texas, where she works to conserve pollinating insects, with a focus on monarch butterflies, across the state. Katie has an M.S. degree from the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay, where she studied the biodiversity of spiders. She then began investigating and creating effective monarch butterfly habitat and in 2023 graduated from the University of Missouri with a PhD. That led to a position as a postdoc researcher at the University of Texas at Austin examining the effects of parasitism on dung beetle behavior and ecosystem services in central Texas.---Photo: Katie Harris (c)Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.
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The Beauty of Less: Xeriscaping for Pollinators
Apr 700:37:36Tap to summarizeXeriscaping is an important tool to conserve water and creates resiliency in the face of climate change, among other benefits. In this episode, we are going to explore the benefits of xeriscaping, how to do it, and how it can impact the conservation of insects.Joining us to dive into this topic is Kailtin Haase, Xerces Pollinator Conservation Specialist in the Southwest. Kaitlin works to create climate-resilient, connected pollinator habitat in Santa Fe and Albuquerque. She collaborates with and educates public and private urban land managers in New Mexico and the desert Southwest on pollinator-friendly practices for landscaping, gardening, and open space restoration. ---Cover Photo: Kaitlin HasseThank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.
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Speedy, Hairy, and Harmless: Solifuges
Mar 1700:41:31Tap to summarizeIn this episode, we are going to explore the world of arachnids, but not the spiders you likely imagined after I said that. Nor ticks, nor mites, nor scorpions. No, today we are focusing on solifuges. “Soli-what?” you may be thinking.Joining us to explain more is Dr. Paula Cushing. Paula works at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science in Colorado, where she is the senior curator of invertebrate zoology. She is an evolutionary biologist who studies evolutionary patterns and processes in arachnids. Paula’s research focuses on the diversity of arachnids in the Rocky Mountain/Great Plains ecoregion, leveraging community science projects such as the Colorado Spider Survey to engage more people in gathering observations. She has done research in all the deserts of the western United States, in Florida, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Puerto Rico, as well as in Mexico and Panama. ---Photo credit: Harshjeet Singh Bal's CC BY-NC-SA 2.0Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.
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Buying Bee Safe Plants: How to keep pesticides out of your garden
Mar 300:35:33Tap to summarizeThere may be a hidden danger lurking in the plants you purchase. Many plants sold at stores and nurseries, even native plants, are pre-treated with pesticides. So while trying to provide habitat for pollinators, you could be exposing them to chemicals. How do you know if plants have been treated with pesticides? Where can you find plants that haven’t been treated? ---Photo Credit: Kailee SlusserThank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.
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Where the Wind Blows: Does wind speed affect overwintering monarchs?
Feb 1700:38:56Tap to summarize**Correction: In this episode it states that the number of western monarchs in 2023 was 9,000 total. This was the total number for 2024.Monarch butterflies are known as long-distance travelers, flying hundreds or thousands of miles from summer breeding areas to overwintering sites. These sites, although small, are essential for the survival of monarchs. Monarch butterflies across the western United States and into British Columbia migrate to California, where they shelter in tree groves scattered along the coast from Mendocino County to the Mexican border and further south. Beyond trees to roost in, what other features makes a grove good for monarchs? What more can we learn to help provide for their overwintering needs?Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.
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Lessons from a Pollinator Gardener
Feb 300:37:18Tap to summarizeThere are countless ways to support the invertebrates we care about, and creating habitat in your own backyard or community is one we’ve often discussed. Today, we’ll explore real-world examples—what works, what doesn’t, and the exciting discoveries made along the way.Joining us to talk about her very own yard is Jennifer Hopwood. Jennifer is a Senior Pollinator Conservation Specialist with Xerces, providing resources and training for pollinator and beneficial insect habitat management and restoration in a variety of landscapes. Jennifer has authored a number of publications and articles, and is co-author of several books, including Farming with Native Beneficial Insects, 100 Plants to Feed the Bees, and a roadside revegetation manual. And like so many of us at Xerces, Jennifer is also a gardener and has learned through trial and error what makes a garden successful.---Photo: Jennifer HopwoodThank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.
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Making the Invisible Visible: Why Science Illustration Matters
Jan 2000:41:36Tap to summarizeIllustration is a powerful and important tool for conservation, bringing science to life and presenting complex information in an engaging format. In this episode, we are continuing our exploration of the role of art in science communication and research with two other talented artists, Maya Hutagalung and Dr. Madison Sankovitz. Rachel and I have had the good fortune to work with them both over the last few months because they have been Science Illustration Interns here at the Xerces Society. Maya is a published illustrator whose work has appeared in a children’s book and been featured in gallery shows. She is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration, with a minor in Earth and Environmental Science, at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She is most interested in how people intersect with their environment, and using art to communicate these connections. Madison is an illustrator and scientist passionate about pollinator conservation and communicating ecological research through art. Madison received a PhD in entomology from University of California Riverside and is currently a postdoc at the Boulder Bee Lab at the University of Colorado Boulder.---Illustration by Maya Hutagalung and Madison SankovitzThank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.
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