The State of the Butterflies in the United States project demonstrated that butterfly populations across the US are dramatically declining — they fell by more than 20% between the year 2000 and 2020. There are multiple causes, but one of them is the loss of caterpillar host plants. Getting more host plants into our neighborhoods and parks is essential — but what happens if those plants are contaminated by pesticides and they are toxic to the caterpillars that need them?

To talk more about this conundrum is Aaron Anderson. Aaron is no stranger to Bug Banter listeners. Aaron is a member of Xerces’ pesticide reduction team, where his work focuses on reducing pesticide use in residential landscapes, including promoting alternative pest-control measures and pollinator-friendly gardening practices. More pertinently, he recently was a coauthor on a study of pesticide contamination of butterfly host plants.

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Photo Credit: Kevin Burls

Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.

Given the name of our podcast, it is no surprise that we talk a lot about bugs, but in this episode, we are stretching our invertebrate muscles and looking at a group of invertebrates that we haven’t considered before—mountain snails! 

To help us learn more about these fascinating animals is Dr. Lusha Tronstad. Lusha is the Invertebrate Zoology Program Manager for the Wyoming Natural Diversity Database at the University of Wyoming. The WNDD program is responsible for developing and maintaining data on the distribution, natural history, conservation status, and habitat requirements of rare invertebrate species in the state. Lusha has a Ph.D. in Zoology and Physiology from University of Wyoming and is interested in food webs, invasive species, conservation, bioassessment and biogeochemistry, while working in aquatic ecosystems and with pollinators.

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Photo: Lusha Tronstad

Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.

We’ve all heard the familiar buzz of a bumble bee. Their fuzzy bodies fly around looking for pollen and nectar. But where do bumble bees nest? Where do they spend the winter? And how can we support this part of their lifecycle?

To talk with us about this topic is Genevieve Pugesek, Xerces Endangered Species Conservation Biologist. Jenny is one of the project managers of the Bumble Bee Atlas, a community science project aimed at tracking and conserving bumble bees. She works with Atlas programs in Missouri, Nebraska, Iowa, and Minnesota. She is broadly interested in conservation biology, land management, and animal natural history. She earned her Ph.D. at Tufts University, where she studied the nesting and overwintering ecology of bumble bees.

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Photo: Kent McFarland Flickr CC 2.0

Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.

Insects play a critical role in rivers, lakes, and streams, acting as a vital food source for many animals and maintaining the health of these freshwater ecosystems. A few of these insects include: mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies. The bad news? They are in decline. The good news? There is something we can do about it. This is a new topic for us and one that we are excited to explore.

Joining us to dive into the aquatic world are Jackson Birrell and James Frakes, co-founders of the Salmonfly Project, which is based here in Missoula, Montana and aims to conserve stream insects. Jackson is Executive Director of the Salmonfly Project and is a PhD graduate from the University of Montana, where he studied the factors that shape aquatic insect distributions and the causes of salmonfly declines across the Rockies. James is the Salmonfly Project’s Chief Operations Officer and also a graduate from the University of Montana where he received his Master's degree in Aquatic Ecology. As an avid fly fisher, he is passionate about continuing his research on insect decline and developing projects to save the hatches he knows and loves.

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Photo Credit: Jenny Walker

Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.

We’ve spent some time on this podcast discussing pollinators and their life histories but today we are taking a deeper dive into plant chemistry to better understand the relationship between pollinators and their floral resources.

To help us explore this fascinating topic, is Leif Richardson, Xerces Endangered Species Conservation Biologist. Leif coordinates the California Bumble Bee Atlas project. His research focuses on the ecology, distribution, and declines of North American bumble bees. Leif is also the co-author of a range of scientific publications on bees, including Bumble Bees of North America: An Identification Guide. He holds a Master’s degree from the University of Arizona and a PhD from Dartmouth College.

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Photo credit: Barbara Driscoll (c)

Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.

**Correction: The study described in this episode states that the total number of insects emerging from a square meter was 18,000. The correct number is 1,800.

Leave the leaves has become something of a rallying cry and discussion topic in recent years. When the weather starts to cool and leaves begin to fall, we’re presented with a valuable wildlife and gardening resource — but also something of a headache. Do I keep them all? Can I mulch them? Won’t they kill my lawn? What about pests? How do I keep my HOA happy?

Joining us to take a deeper dive into a pile of leaves, how they help insects, and how to manage them is Max Ferlauto, state entomologist with the Maryland Natural Heritage Program, where he is in charge of rare insect conservation. Before that, Max was undertaking research for his PhD at the University of Maryland, where he studied the impact of leaves (and leaf removal) on insects in gardens as well as on soil health.

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Photo: Steven Severinghaus/Flickr/Creative Commons 2.0

Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.

In this episode, we will be taking a closer look at the monarch butterfly, but we won’t be talking about milkweed or nectar plants, or the migration and overwintering sites – at least, not directly. No, our focus is on pesticides and monarchs. Are pesticides a particular concern for monarch butterflies? What are the consequences of pesticide contamination to their habitat? What can we do to provide pesticide-free habitat?

To answer these questions we welcome back Emily May, Agricultural Conservation Lead with the Xerces Pesticide Reduction Program. 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. She also supports Xerces’ staff by providing technical expertise that helps guide resources, outreach, and policy efforts.

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Photo: Stephanie McKnight/Xerces Society

Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.

How are native bee species in the US doing in light of the major threats they are facing? What more do we need to know to protect them? There are over 3,600 species of native bees in the United States, but we only know the conservation status (i.e., how well they are doing) of about 20% of them. This makes it difficult to make decisions about how to prioritize bee conservation. 

Joining us to discuss this problem is Saff Killingsworth, Xerces Endangered Species Conservation Biologist. Saff coordinates the State of the Bees initiative, working with researchers and land managers to assess the status of wild bees in the western U.S. and address their conservation needs. She also works to advance conservation of butterflies and fireflies in Arizona. 

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Photo: az3/Flickr CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.

Co-host Matthew Shepherd came from Britain, a country known for its hedgerows. He grew up surrounded by hedges, sometimes many centuries old, crisscrossing the countryside. Early in Matthew's career he helped plant, maintain, and restore miles of hedgerows and got to see up close the wealth of wildlife that live in them. When he moved to America, he was struck by the lack of hedgerows, their place in the landscape frequently filled by barbed wire or other types of fencing. He is very happy to know that this is changing and that there is a movement in this country toward planting hedgerows for their beauty, wildlife value, and economic benefits.

Joining Matthew in this episode is someone who has been at the forefront of this effort for a decade and a half. Jessa Kay Cruz is a Senior Pollinator Conservation Specialist for the Xerces Society in a region covering California and the Intermountain West. Since joining Xerces in 2008, Jessa has worked in agricultural and natural lands to create habitat for pollinators and other beneficial insects, and to promote practices that support them. She provides education and technical support to a range of individuals and agencies, including farmers and ranchers, agricultural professionals, and land managers.

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Cover Photo: Sarah Foltz Jordan/Xerces Society

Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.

I’m sure it’s not surprising to hear that butterflies are in decline, but the speed at which it is happening may be. Butterflies are being lost at a rate of 1.3% per year, which means more than one-fifth have disappeared over a 20-year period. These are just a couple of the alarming statistics that emerged from the work of the State of the Butterflies in the United States working group. The group was comprised of scientists from universities, agencies, and the Xerces Society. Their findings have been published in academic journals, including Science. Building on this, Xerces has just released State of the Butterflies in the United States, a report authored by members of the working group that presents a picture of the status of butterflies and offers a vision for how we can reverse the declines.

To talk with us about the report and what we need to do are Scott Black and Cheryl Shultz. Scott is the executive director of the Xerces Society. His work has resulted in the protection and restoration of habitat on millions of acres of rangelands, forests, and farmland, as well as protection for many endangered species. Cheryl is a professor at Washington State University Vancouver, where she studies the ecology of at-risk species, particularly butterflies of the PNW prairies. Cheryl also is a long-time scientific advisor to the Xerces Society. 

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Photo credit: Candace Fallon/Xerces Society

Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.