Bug Banter With The Xerces Society podcast

#Science #Environment #Insect #Invertebrates #Conservative #Insect Conservation #Bumble Bees #Monarch #Butterfly #Bee #Firefly #Pesticides #Gardening #PolliNation #Bug

30:55

A secret field that summons lightning. A massive spiral that disappears into a salt lake. A celestial observatory carved into a volcano. Meet the wild—and sometimes explosive—world of land art, where artists craft masterpieces with dynamite and bulldozers. In our Season 2 premiere, guest Dylan Thuras, cofounder of Atlas Obscura, takes us off road and into the minds of the artists who literally reshaped parts of the Southwest. These works aren’t meant to be easy to reach—or to explain—but they just might change how you see the world. Land art you’ll visit in this episode: - Double Negative and City by Michael Heizer (Garden Valley, Nevada) - Spiral Jetty by Robert Smithson (Great Salt Lake, Utah) - Sun Tunnels by Nancy Holt (Great Basin Desert, Utah) - Lightning Field by Walter De Maria (Catron County, New Mexico) - Roden Crater by James Turrell (Painted Desert, Arizona) Via Podcast is a production of AAA Mountain West Group.…

Bug Banter with the Xerces Society

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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.

41 episodes

Bug Banter with the Xerces Society

11 subscribers

updated 8 days ago

Series home•Feed

41 episodes

#Science #Environment #Insect #Invertebrates #Conservative #Insect Conservation #Bumble Bees #Monarch #Butterfly #Bee #Firefly #Pesticides #Gardening #PolliNation #Bug

All episodes

1
Greenroofs, Solar Arrays, And Urban Farms: Insect Conservation In Human-Dominated Ecosystems 46:35

8 days ago46:35

46:35

Most of the natural world has been altered by humans in some way. Ecosystems that are dominated by humans or man-made structures, such as cities, can still provide meaningful and essential habitat for insects. Today, we are going to discuss research being done in various human-dominated landscapes to answer the question: how do we restore and conserve insects in these ecosystems? We are joined by Dr. Chelse Prather, Associate Professor and Environmental Biology Coordinator at the University of Dayton. As an ecologist, Chelse has worked with insect communities in forests, grasslands, and urban ecosystems. She has managed a variety of projects from understanding basic insect ecology, like what nutrients limit insect communities, to very applied projects, such as how the installation of solar arrays affects insect communities. --- Photo by Matthew Shepherd Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.…

1
For the Love of Flies: The Unsung Heroes of the Insect World 45:08

29 days ago45:08

45:08

Flies are amazing insects that play critical roles in our environment including pollination, waste disposal, pest control, and as a link in the food web. Flies are greatly diverse in colors, shape, size, and where they live. Butterflies and bees probably generate more enthusiasm, but it’s time to change that. To talk about flies with us, we are joined by Dr. Erica McAlister, who works at the Natural History Museum in London, where she is the principal curator for Diptera and Siphonaptera, i.e., flies and fleas. Erica takes a particular interest in three groups of flies, fungus gnats, assassin flies, and mosquitoes. The latter means that inevitably she is involved with many projects related to identification of mosquitoes and which ones are associated with spread of malaria and other diseases and viruses, but her experience is much broader, including teaching entomology in Dominica and studying the invertebrates — more specifically, the flies — of that island. Finally, Erica is also the award-winning author of four books, including The Secret Life of Flies and The Inside Out of Flies. --- Cover Photo: Whitney Cranshaw - Bugwood CC - Tachinid fly (Trichopoda pennipes) Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.…

1
Plastic Bands, Pesticides, and Deadly Drift: A Study on Mosquito Spray 39:47

6 weeks ago39:47

39:47

Who doesn’t know the high-pitched whine of a nearby mosquito? We know they can be a nuisance, and in many regions, a health risk because of their ability to spread diseases. Some communities do public control campaigns, and increasingly, companies are offering home spraying of yards. But, the insecticides used in these sprays are broadly toxic to insects, and the risk they pose to pollinators isn't fully understood. In the summer of 2023, Xerces did a study looking at how these insecticides spread across the landscape. Joining us to talk about the study is Aaron Anderson, who has been a member of Xerces’ pesticide reduction team for a couple of years. Aaron’s work focuses on reducing pesticide use in residential landscapes, including promoting alternative pest-control measures and pollinator-friendly gardening practices. Prior to joining Xerces, he researched pollinator conservation in urban landscapes, restored habitat for several endangered butterfly species, and worked in insect biocontrol. If that wasn’t cool enough, Aaron has been on Bug Banter before, also talking about mosquitoes. - Photo: Woodland Mosquito-Katja Schulz-Flickr CC Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.…

1
The Underground Heroes: Earthworms 45:17

8 weeks ago45:17

45:17

Earthworms. They may elicit memories of digging through the dirt, probably as a child, and picking them up to discover what they are. But what do they do other than slink around and bury themselves in the soil? To help us explore this fascinating invertebrate are Jennifer Hopwood and Stephanie Frischie. Regular listeners will remember Jennifer — she’s been on Bug Banter before to talk about beetles and wasps. She 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. Stephanie is Xerces’s Agronomist and Native Plant Materials Specialist. Stephanie works to improve the supply and growth of important plant species for the restoration of insect habitat. Additionally, and most pertinent to today’s conversation, she leads the Xerces Soil Life project that focuses on soil invertebrate ecology and soil health. --- Photo credit: S Shepherd Schizoform, CC 2.0 Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.…

1
Social and Emotional Learning: Making Science Accessible 39:02

10 weeks ago39:02

39:02

More than ever, communicating scientific information effectively is critical to conservation efforts. But how exactly do we do that? To explore this topic is award-winning science communicator and entomologist, Gwen Pearson. In addition to her work writing for WIRED Magazine, Highlights For Kids, and other science news outlets, she's run an insect zoo and worked as an Extension Entomologist in various roles. She's now retired and is an Outreach Ambassador for the Xerces Society. Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.…

1
Protecting Bees from Pesticides: Why EPA Regulations Need to Change 42:06

12 weeks ago42:06

42:06

The United States Environmental Protection Agency, also known as the EPA, is tasked with regulating pesticides to protect people and the environment from their impacts. To test these impacts, the EPA uses honey bees. This might seem reasonable, but the honey bee is not native to North America and its social colony structure is unique and not representative of the thousands of native species of bees in the United States. The reliance on the honey bee for testing has profound implications for the safety of our native bees and other pollinators, given their vastly different life histories. Joining us to cover this topic are Aimee Code from the Xerces Society and Sharmeen Morrison from Earthjustice. Aimee is Xerces’s pesticide program director. She and her staff evaluate the risks of pesticides, develop technical guidance, and advocate for actions that reduce reliance on and risks of pesticide use in both urban and agricultural settings. Sharmeen is a senior associate attorney with Earthjustice’s Biodiversity Defense Program, which engages in national litigation to confront the major drivers of biodiversity loss. In this role, she has worked to protect manatees in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon, golden-cheeked warblers in Texas Hill Country, and insect pollinators nationwide. Together, Aimee and Sharmeen are working to change how the EPA regulates pesticides. Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.…

1
Monarch Conservation: Tracking Migration with Rice-Sized Technology 40:58

14 weeks ago40:58

40:58

The monarch butterfly is popular and currently in the news a lot. You might think that we know all there is to know about it, but there are many mysteries remaining, particularly about their migration and how they use their habitat. This may be more so for the western population that overwinters in California. Radio tracking has long been used for studying the movement and habitat use of bigger animals. Advances in this technology mean it is emerging as a tool that can provide scientists with some answers about tiny animals too. To explore how radio tracking — also called radio telemetry — can be used with monarchs, we are joined by Ashley Fisher. Ashley is an endangered species conservation biologist and a monarch overwintering specialist with the Xerces Society. Based near the overwintering sites in California, Ashley manages Xerces’ overwintering habitat database and helps facilitate research projects, working with Xerces partnering organizations and universities. She also works with local land managers in communities along the central coast of California to provide guidance on the management and restoration of overwintering sites. Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.…

1
Insects in the Balance: Why Monitoring Matters 42:25

16 weeks ago42:25

42:25

Bees, butterflies, beetles — populations of almost any group of insects you can name seem to be falling. But how do we know they are falling, how can we find out how well insects are doing? Monitoring is an essential tool for understanding the abundance and distribution of species, as well as how they respond to conservation efforts. To explore this further, we are talking with Matt Forister, professor of biology and insect ecology in the Biology Department at the University of Nevada, Reno. He has studied butterflies and other insects in the western US for the last 20 years, and has published more than 100 journal articles and book chapters on issues that include insects adapting to exotic plants and butterflies responding to a changing climate. Matt is also a long-time scientific advisor to the Xerces Society and our staff have undertaken several research projects with his lab. Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.…

1
The Power of Policy: Insect Protection Through State Authority 35:50

18 weeks ago35:50

35:50

In one of our first episodes we spoke with Sarina Jepsen, the director of our Endangered Species team, about what it means for a species to be federally listed, specifically through the Endangered Species Act. However, species can also be listed through individual states, but not all states are the same, and some states don’t have legislation to protect insects. It is an interesting story! Joining us to talk about the importance of a state’s authority to protect insects are Kevin Burls and Rosemary Malfi. As Xerces’ Director of Conservation Policy, Rosemary supports and advocates for policy solutions at the local, state, and federal levels that promote the health and conservation of invertebrate species. Presently, Rosemary is leading Xerces’ campaign to pass legislation to define insects as wildlife in states where they are omitted from this definition under the law. Rosemary holds a Doctorate in environmental sciences with a background in native pollinator protection and pesticide policy reform. Kevin is one of Xerces Endangered Species Conservation Biologists. His work includes collaborating with land managers and scientists to understand the conservation needs of butterfly species, then advocating for their protection by crafting conservation guidelines and legislation with agencies and policy makers at the regional, state, and federal levels. Kevin holds a Doctorate in ecology, evolution, and conservation biology with a background in western butterflies and other native pollinators, and science education. Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.…

1
The Secret Lives of San Diego Zoo Insects 42:13

21 weeks ago42:13

42:13

Many of us likely have childhood memories of a zoo visit: gibbons swinging above us, lions pacing, a polar bear taking a plunge. Zoos also can play an important role in conservation, particularly for insects. One example is the work done at the San Diego Zoo to help invertebrates by solving mysteries about their habitat and life cycle needs, in some cases bringing back species on the brink of extinction. Joining us to talk about this work is Paige Howorth. Paige leads the Entomology Department at the San Diego Zoo, where she is involved with the day-to-day care of dozens of species of insects, arachnids, and other invertebrates in the zoo’s collection, as well as leading conservation programs for rare species. In addition, Paige serves on the steering committee of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Terrestrial Invertebrate Taxon Advisory Group and co-leads the AZA SAFE (save animals from extinction) program for the North American monarch butterfly. She’s also been a collaborator with Xerces for many years. Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.…

1
Buzzing Together: The Bumble Bee Atlas and the Power of Community Science 31:29

23 weeks ago31:29

31:29

Community science is critical to conservation efforts and the Bumble Bee Atlas is no exception. Volunteers across the country have contributed to the Atlas program through bumble bee surveys, providing crucial information on bumble bee abundance and distribution. This information informs conservation efforts and makes a real difference. To tell us more about the Bumble Bee Atlas are two of our newest Atlas coordinators, Amy Dolan and Michelle Toshack. Between them they cover much of the Rocky Mountain and intermountain regions. Amy coordinates the Mountain States Bumble Bee Atlas in Colorado, Nevada, Utah, and Wyoming. Amy has a master’s degree in entomology from Montana State University, where she studied bumble bees, and has a background in science education. Michelle covers Montana, and has a masters in biological sciences from Simon Fraser University, where she researched pollinator biodiversity and the impacts of farming practices on bumble bees. She has a background in field biology and managing community science projects. Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.…

1
Dragonflies and Damselflies: A Life's Journey from Water to the Sky 45:20

25 weeks ago45:20

45:20

When we see a dragonfly, we normally see adults, which are capable of impressive aerobatics and have astonishing eyesight. Yet these fearsome aerial predators began life underwater, and when they undergo the transformation from nymph to adult they also change from water to air. Dragonflies truly are amazing! Joining us to talk about these incredible animals is Dr. Jessica Ware from the American Museum of Natural History in New York, where she is an Associate Curator and the current Division Chair in the Division of Invertebrate Zoology. Jessica’s research focuses on the evolution of behavioral and physiological adaptations in insects, with an emphasis on how these occur in dragonflies and their close relatives, damselflies. Her research group uses genetics to study the evolutionary relationships between species and uses these tools to inform their work on reproductive, social, and flight behaviors in insects. Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.…

1
Revival of the Fender's Blue Butterfly: A Conservation Story 45:40

27 weeks ago45:40

45:40

We all love a success story and what better tale to tell than the one about the Fender’s blue? Once thought extinct, this butterfly was rediscovered 35 years ago, since when it has made a comeback thanks to hard work by dedicated scientists, land owners, agency staff, and many others. To tell us this story of hope, we are joined today by two people whose long-time collaboration has been central to this success. Cheryl Schultz is a Professor at Washington State University in Vancouver, where she studies the ecology of at-risk species, particularly butterflies of the PNW prairies. Mikki Collins works for the US Fish & Wildlife Service, and is currently the Willamette Valley Recovery Coordinator. Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.…

1
Mysteries of the Moth: More Than Meets the Eye 43:49

30 weeks ago43:49

43:49

Moths are largely creatures of the night, which means they may not get as much publicity as their day-flying relative, butterflies. Moths are more diverse than butterflies, probably more abundant, and most certainly play a key role in the natural world. Honestly, moths are some of the coolest insects and we are excited to highlight them in today’s episode. Joining us to talk about moths is Dr. David Wagner, an entomologist and professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Connecticut. His research focuses on the biosystematics of moths and invertebrate conservation. That means he doesn’t only work to understand how moths relate to each other, but also how they interact with the outside world, the threats they face, and how we can work to protect them. He is the author of several books, including Caterpillars of Eastern North America , which won a National Outdoor Book Award in 2006 and is now an app for phones, so you can take Dave’s wisdom with you wherever you go. Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.…

1
Bugs and Birds: Celebrating World Migratory Bird Day 34:14

32 weeks ago34:14