Bug Banter with the Xerces Society

The Xerces Society
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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.

  1. APR 15

    For the Love of Flies: The Unsung Heroes of the Insect World

    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 Siphonapter...

    45 min
  2. Plastic Bands, Pesticides, and Deadly Drift: A Study on Mosquito Spray

    APR 1

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

    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 s...

    40 min
  3. The Underground Heroes: Earthworms

    MAR 18

    The Underground Heroes: Earthworms

    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...

    45 min

  4. MAR 4

    Social and Emotional Learning: Making Science Accessible

    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 y...

    39 min
  5. Protecting Bees from Pesticides: Why EPA Regulations Need to Change

    FEB 18

    Protecting Bees from Pesticides: Why EPA Regulations Need to Change

    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 t...

    42 min
  6. Monarch Conservation: Tracking Migration with Rice-Sized Technology

    FEB 4

    Monarch Conservation: Tracking Migration with Rice-Sized Technology

    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...

    41 min
  7. Insects in the Balance: Why Monitoring Matters

    JAN 21

    Insects in the Balance: Why Monitoring Matters

    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. ...

    42 min
  8. The Power of Policy: Insect Protection Through State Authority

    JAN 7

    The Power of Policy: Insect Protection Through State Authority

    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 R...

    36 min
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    About

    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.

    Information

    • Creator
      The Xerces Society
    • Years Active
      2023 - 2025
    • Episodes
      40
    • Rating
      Clean
    • Copyright
      © 2025 Bug Banter with the Xerces Society
    • Show Website
      Bug Banter with the Xerces Society

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