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Bug Banter with the Xerces Society: Daily Summaries Delivered
by The Xerces Society
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.
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- 3 days ago24 min
Beyond the Backyard: Building Pollinator Habitat in the Community
We 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 su...
- 2 weeks ago49 min
Goodbye Grass, Hello Bugs: Bringing Life Back to Our Yards
The 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. Emi...
- May 5, 202637 min
The Story of a Little Blue Butterfly: The Karner Blue
The 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 Soc...
- Apr 21, 202635 min
Poo Fighters and Nutrient Recyclers: the Incredible Dung Beetle
Few 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 polli...
- Apr 7, 202637 min
The Beauty of Less: Xeriscaping for Pollinators
Xeriscaping 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 wit...
- Mar 17, 202641 min
Speedy, Hairy, and Harmless: Solifuges
In 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 ara...
- Mar 3, 202635 min
Buying Bee Safe Plants: How to keep pesticides out of your garden
There 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 Slusser Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.
- Feb 17, 202638 min
Where the Wind Blows: Does wind speed affect overwintering monarchs?
**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 scat...
About Bug Banter with the Xerces Society
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.
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