Wings Magazine

“Protecting the life that sustains us” is not just a tagline for the Xerces Society; it is the principle that guides us every day. We hope that the articles in this issue of Wings will help to explain why this is important and illustrate some of the diverse ways in which we work to embody this principle. Thank you for your support of our work.

In a time of growing environmental threats, what we do in our home towns and neighborhoods is increasingly important.

There are many threats to the invertebrates with which we share this planet. Habitat loss, disease, and pesticide use are immediate risks, but overlaying everything is climate change, the consequences of which may unravel the fabric of our environment.

Grasslands are among the most threatened habitats; easy to build upon or plow up, they are often the first to go. This issue of Wings looks at the beautiful wildlife that grasslands support, and some of the management problems faced by conservationists.

Conservation is sometimes seen as taking place in a distant wilderness or requiring a lot of time. In this issue of Wings we look at conservation in urban areas and how you can take action in your own neighborhood to make a difference.

What happens on farmland affects the health of wildlife, and changing how agricultural lands are managed can have a broad and profound influence on populations of bees, butterflies, and a host of other animals.

The Fall 2016 issue of Wings presents a series of articles by Xerces staff members describing some of the work we do, from local efforts to ones that are international in scope.

The Xerces Society began as a butterfly conservation group, and, although the organization's work has expanded greatly, Lepidoptera remain at the heart of our efforts. This issue of Wings looks at our past, current, and future work on conserving butterflies.

Our Fall 2015 issue of Wings Magazine is devoted to the subject of pesticides, their impact on invertebrates, and consideration of alternative in controlling insect "pests".

Roads are ubiquitous in the modern landscape. This issue of Wings examines some of the consequences they carry for insects and other invertebrates.

This issue of Wings is mostly about butterflies and moths: their importance as pollinators; how atalas disappeared from south Florida and then returned; and the challenges in captive rearing of endangered invertebrates such as the quino checkerspot.

The Spring 2014 issue of Wings Magazine sheds light on two very different and largely understudied groups of invertebrates—marine species impacted by oil spills and arachnids.

Much of Xerces’ work is focused on habitat, which is central to successful conservation efforts. When habitat disappears from our urban and rural landscapes, so too does the rich diversity of invertebrates that underpin a healthy environment.

The Spring 2013 issue of Wings Magazine is dedicated to change, with articles on metamorphosis, citizen scientists monitoring environmental events, and our efforts to protect a rare butterfly in a changing landscape.

Our Fall 2012 issue of Wings Magazine looks back at the impact of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring and includes articles on fireflies, dragonflies and damselflies, neonicotinoids, and more.

The essays in this issue of Wings Magazine focus on declining species, including stories of conservation success, nationwide citizen action, and dogged sleuthing—all in the cause of protecting invertebrates.

In the Fall 2011 issue of Wings we celebrate forty years of invertebrate conservation by the Xerces Society.

The Spring 2011 issue of Wings Magazine includes articles on the rediscovery of an endangered land crab species, the importance of milkweed species in the landscape, and migratory dragonflies.

Our Fall 2010 issue of Wings Magazine examines the history and impact of butterfly conservation efforts around the world.

The Spring 2010 issue of Wings Magazine includes articles on sea anemones, butterfly monitoring, katydids, and more.

Our Fall 2009 issue of Wings Magazine looks at conservation efforts targeted at other species that also benefit invertebrates in the same ecosystems.

The Spring 2009 issue of Wings Magazine includes articles on ephemeral water holes, photographing butterflies, deep-sea corals, and more.

Our Fall 2008 issue of Wings Magazine includes articles on grasshoppers, freshwater mussels, pollinator conservation, and more.

The Spring 2008 issue of Wings Magazine is devoted to invertebrates found in urban settings and their conservation.

Our Fall 2007 issue of Wings Magazine examines the impact of global warming on invertebrates across diverse ecosystems.