**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.

There 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.

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Photo: Jennifer Hopwood

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

Illustration 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.

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Illustration by Maya Hutagalung and Madison Sankovitz

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

For years now, there’s been a growing buzz—pun intended—about how to save our pollinators. Bees, butterflies, and so many other important species are struggling, but the good news is that each of us can make a big difference right in our own backyards. From planting native flowers to rethinking our use of pesticides, simple choices can transform any outdoor space into a thriving pollinator haven. In this episode, we’re diving into what it really takes to bring back the pollinators—and how you can be part of the solution.

Joining us are two guests that have become regulars on the podcast, Aaron Anderson and Bug Banter’s very own co-host Matthew Shepherd. Aaron is a Pesticide Program Specialist at Xerces. He works with the public and Xerces staff to reduce pesticide use in residential landscapes, including promoting alternative pest control measures and pollinator-friendly gardening practices. Matthew is Xerces Director of Outreach and Education. He has been with us for over 25 years, working in pollinator conservation in towns and cities. Much of his work focuses on guiding neighborhood-level efforts such as pollinator gardens and small habitat projects in parks, as well as supporting the Bring Back the Pollinators campaign and promoting initiatives such as Leave the Leaves.
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Photo: Emily May

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

When science and art meet they create a nexus where inspiration and education combine to create impactful outcomes. From illustrated ID guides to building-sized murals, art has been interwoven into science communications for thousands of years and its value has continued to persist. Xerces has harnessed the power of images and we are excited to explore this topic.

In this episode, we are sitting down with Jane Kim and Thayer Walker, who founded Ink Dwell, an art studio that produces stunning murals and other works that celebrate the natural world. Jane is a visual artist and science illustrator. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Printmaking from Rhode Island School of Design and then attended California State University Monterey Bay, where she earned a master’s certificate in science illustration. She has created large-scale public art across the country, including the Wall of Birds at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, and produced works for the National Aquarium in Baltimore, the de Young Museum in San Francisco, and more. Thayer manages Ink Dwell’s operations and is an author and correspondent who has written about science, adventure, exploration, and the natural world for nearly two decades—and along the way had some adventures of his own. (I read something about 20 days on a desert island and escaping the jaws of a jaguar…) With Jane, he co-authored The Wall of Birds, a book about that monumental mural at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.

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Photo: Benjamin Zack

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

Over the past year, we’ve explored a diversity of invertebrates, the threats they face, and the ways we can help support them. In this episode, we’ll take a closer look at invertebrate conservation—reflecting on this year’s successes and achievements, as well as the challenges that lie ahead. What victories can we celebrate, and which conservation efforts must continue? What obstacles do we, as invertebrate enthusiasts, still face? Most importantly, what actions can people take right now to make a lasting difference?

Who better to talk about this topic than Xerces Society executive director, Scott Black. Scott has led the Xerces Society for a quarter century, during which time Xerces has grown and become internationally recognized for its work. Scott himself is a renowned conservationist whose work has led to protection and restoration of habitat on millions of acres of rangelands, forests, and farmland, as well as protection for many endangered species.

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Photo: Sara Morris/CC BY-NC 2.0

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

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.