Beyond the Backyard: Building Pollinator Habitat in the Community
25 MinutesGuests: Kelly Gill
We spend a lot of time talking about how we can create habitat for pollinators in yards, but there are other spaces too. So if you don’t have a yard or even if you do and you want to expand your impact, no problem! Today we are going to explore how to create pollinator habitat beyond your home.
Goodbye Grass, Hello Bugs: Bringing Life Back to Our Yards
50 MinutesGuests: Stephanie Frischie, Emily May
The color green is associated with a clean, healthy environment. When we see a green space, we often think it’s good, whether it is a beautiful forest or a neighborhood lawn. All plants provide for wildlife, right? Unfortunately, no. Some landscapes, in particular lawns, provide very little to no habitat. So, what can folks do to change their landscape? How can they rethink or replace their lawn to support wildlife?
The Story of a Little Blue Butterfly: The Karner Blue
37 MinutesGuests: Julie Michaelson
The Xerces Society is named for a blue butterfly, the Xerces blue, which went extinct in the 1940s. Luckily, there are other blues, some of which are doing fine and we can see regularly in our parks and neighborhoods, little butterflies who flash bright blue when they move their wings. Others, unfortunately, are not doing so well. In this episode, we are highlighting one of those, the Karner blue.
Poo Fighters and Nutrient Recyclers: the Incredible Dung Beetle
36 MinutesGuests: Katie Harris
Few beetles are revered as sacred, seen as a symbol of rebirth, represented in ancient art, and to this day are used commercially for waste disposal, but dung beetles are. And if that’s not impressive enough they use the Milky Way to navigate. Truly amazing animals.
The Beauty of Less: Xeriscaping for Pollinators
38 MinutesGuests: Kaitlin Hasse
Xeriscaping is an important tool to conserve water and creates resiliency in the face of climate change, among other benefits. In this episode, we are going to explore the benefits of xeriscaping, how to do it, and how it can impact the conservation of insects.
Speedy, Hairy, and Harmless: Solifuges
42 MinutesGuests: Dr. Paula Cushing
In this episode, we are going to explore the world of arachnids, but not the spiders you likely imagined after I said that. Nor ticks, nor mites, nor scorpions. No, today we are focusing on solifuges. “Soli-what?” you may be thinking.
Buying Bee Safe Plants: How to keep pesticides out of your garden
36 MinutesGuests: Sharon Selvaggio
There may be a hidden danger lurking in the plants you purchase. Many plants sold at stores and nurseries, even native plants, are pre-treated with pesticides. So while trying to provide habitat for pollinators, you could be exposing them to chemicals. How do you know if plants have been treated with pesticides? Where can you find plants that haven’t been treated?
Where the Wind Blows: Does wind speed affect overwintering monarchs?
39 MinutesGuests: Kyle Nessen
**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?
Lessons from a Pollinator Gardener
38 MinutesGuests: Jennifer Hopwood
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.
Making the Invisible Visible: Why Science Illustration Matters
42 MinutesGuests: Maya Hutagalung, Madison Sankovitz
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.