As a science-based organization, the Xerces Society produces dozens of publications annually, all of which employ the best available research to guide effective conservation efforts. Our publications range from guidelines for land managers, to brochures offering overviews of key concepts related to invertebrate conservation, from books about supporting pollinators in farmland, to region-specific plant lists. We hope that whatever you are seeking—whether it's guidance on making a home or community garden pollinator-friendly, advice on developing a local pesticide reduction strategy, or detailed information on restoring habitat—you will find it here!
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Use the search functions to sort by publication type (books, guidelines, fact sheets, etc.), location, and/or subject (agriculture, gardens, pollinators, pesticides, etc.).
Distributions, Threats, and Conservation Recommendations
Anecdotal reports of firefly declines have been on the rise in recent decades. While population declines have been documented for some species in Europe and Asia, the picture was not as clear in North America. With the exception of a few localized studies, no effort had previously been made to assess the conservation status of the 171 described taxa in the United States and Canada.
This insectary cover crop field trial was part of a larger project involving the design and implementation of specific insectary habitat features, such as field borders or cover crops, and measuring some of the resource benefits of these features. Click the following links to read additional California habitat trial reports:
Insectary Wildlife Habitat Trial: California Mixed Vegetable Farm
This insectary cover crop field trial was part of a larger project involving the design and implementation of specific insectary habitat features, such as field borders or cover crops, where we measured the diverse resource benefits of these features. Click the following links to read additional California habitat trial reports:
This field trial was part of a larger project which involved designing and implementing specific insectary habitat features, such as field borders or cover crops, and measuring some of the resource benefits of these features. Click the following links to read additional California habitat trial reports:
Report from WWF–Mexico about condition of forests in monarch overwintering sites Mexico
Report from WWF–Mexico about the condition of forest and changes in forest cover in the core area of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve in Mexico during the period 2019 to 2020.
Report from WWF–Mexico about the overwintering monarch colonies in Mexico
The report from WWF–Mexico containing results from the survey and monitoring of the monarch overwintering colonies in Mexico during the 2020-2021 season.
How Dicamba Herbicides are Harming Cultivated and Wild Landscapes
More than five million acres of crops, an area roughly the size of New Jersey, have been injured by the herbicide dicamba since the U.S. EPA conditionally registered three new formulations for in-crop applications in dicamba-resistant soybeans and cotton in 2016. Damage from this highly mobile herbicide does not stop at the field edge: dicamba drift places tens of millions of acres of wild and ornamental plants—and the wildlife these plants support—at risk.
The Science Behind the Role These Insecticides Play in Harming Bees. 2nd Edition; Revised & Expanded
Now availaible as a revised and expanded second edition, our report examins the science behind the role these insecticides play in harming bees.
This report provides an assessment of overwintering sites of western populations of the monarch butterfly in California. From data collected at over 400 sites, the report summarizes existing overwintering trends and identifies the highest priority sites for active management and protection.
Literature Review
This technical literature review, produced for the Federal Highway Administration with ICF International, includes a thorough treatment on the status of pollinators, causes of decline, potential mitigation efforts, habitat restoration and management for pollinators, and applications to roadsides.
