Bug Banter with the Xerces Society Invertebrate illustrations by freepik.com
-
- Science
-
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.
-
No Mow May: A Starting Point, Not the Finish Line
Tired of mowing your law? We have good news - you don’t have to, and the bees (and fritillary butterflies) will thank you for it! Mowing your lawn less frequently can provide habitat for pollinators, especially in early spring. But, is that enough? What can we do to turn No Mow May into meaningful conservation of pollinators and other wildlife?
Joining us to talk about the trendy No Mow May Campaign is Bug Banter co-host Matthew Shepherd. Matthew has been with the Xerces Society for a quarter century, working on pollinator conservation in towns and cities. We are also joined by special guest co-host Emily May, Xerces Society Pollinator Conservation Specialist.
Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter. -
Floater, Sheepnose, and Cat’s Paw: Exploring the Fascinating World of Freshwater Mussels
In this episode of Bug Banter, we are going underwater to highlight an invertebrate that isn’t an insect — the freshwater mussel. These animals may not be well-known but are powerhouses in our freshwater ecosystems, playing a critical role in our lakes and rivers.
We’re joined today by not only one but two guests! — Emilie Blevins and Jack Fetters, who are both conservation biologists on the Endangered Species team at the Xerces Society. Emilie serves as the lead on all freshwater mussel conservation work and Jack serves as a specialist on western freshwater mussel conservation work at Xerces.
Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter. -
Buzzing Canopies: Forests' Vital Role in Supporting Pollinator Diversity
For many of us, if we were asked to describe a place that is good for bees, I suspect that we’d talk about somewhere that is open, sunny, and full of flowers — a garden, meadow, prairie, or hedgerow, maybe. The chances are that forests wouldn’t be high on that list. However, forests provide important resources for bees.
In this episode, we are joined by Kass Urban-Mead to talk about forests and bees. Kass works for the Xerces Society as a pollinator conservation specialist and NRCS Partner Biologist based in Philadelphia. From there, she collaborates with communities in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions to plan, design, install, and manage habitat for pollinators and other beneficial insects. She also climbed a lot of trees to study bees while completing her PhD at Cornell.
Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter. -
Bumbling Through Nature: Exploring the Fascinating Life History and Community Science of Bumble Bees
Spend time in a garden and you’ll probably hear the buzzing of a bumble bee. These charismatic bees pollinate many of the foods and flowers that we love and, similar to other bees, their populations are in decline. Fortunately, there is a community science program to help us better understand the abundance and distribution of bumble bees across the US.
To talk more about this we are joined today by Rich Hatfield. Rich is deeply involved with studying and protecting bumble bees in his role as a Senior Endangered Species Conservation Biologist with the Xerces Society. You may also remember Rich from a previous Bug Banter, when we had a conversation about honey bees.
Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter. -
Life in the Dark: How Artificial Light is Impacting Insects
Light pollution. Go outside at night and you’ll notice them — lights on buildings, in gardens, along streets, glowing on the horizon. It might not seem like much, but this is changing the world for animals that rely on darkness. Imagine evolving for millions of years with only the stars and moon and now being faced with a landscape full of additional light.
What happens to insects when the night is full of light? Can fireflies coexist in urban areas? Are there things we can do to reduce our impact?
Joining us today to talk about these and questions is Dr. Avalon Owens from the Rowland Institute at Harvard. Avalon received her Ph.D. in Biology from Tufts University in spring 2022, where she studied the impact of artificial light on bioluminescent fireflies. She also holds a B.A. in Integrative Biology from Harvard University and an M.S. in Entomology from National Taiwan University.
Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter. -
The Magic of Fireflies: Flashing Lights, Glowing Worms, and Chemical Reactions
Fireflies. Just the word evokes for many people memories of summer evenings filled with magic and awe. From their flashy mating displays to their glowing larvae, these iconic insects have captured our hearts. Unfortunately, fireflies have started to disappear from the landscape. What is causing this decline and what can we do to help?
Joining us this week to talk about incredible insects is Richard Joyce. Richard is an Endangered Species Conservation Biologist at the Xerces Society where he works with researchers and land managers to survey for and conserve fireflies, and coordinates many aspects of the Firefly Atlas, a nationwide community-science project.
Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.
Customer Reviews
Excellent
I’m so excited to see these podcasts ! Excellent information for those of us learning and those of us trying to educate. Pls also include any recommended book reviews and resources. Thank you!!
Well done
Interesting and useful information. Scientists used terms/words and explained concepts that I was able to understand. Voice, speech, cadence, tone, volume , diction off both hosts and guests was easy to listen to. Looking forward to more episodes.
Julia
Invertebrate lovers listen up
Learned so much! Love this podcast!