In a previous episode we highlighted the State of the Butterflies report, which found that we are losing butterflies at a rate of 1.3% per year in the contiguous US: more than one-fifth of our butterflies disappeared between 2000 and 2020. Perhaps more alarming, over 40% of assessed species fell in numbers by 50% or more—and two dozen species suffered more than 90% losses. So what can we do to help butterflies?

To give us guidance are butterfly experts, Ray Moranz and Kevin Burls, both of whom you may remember from previous episodes. Ray is a Xerces Pollinator Conservation Specialist and NRCS Partner Biologist based in Oklahoma. He works to conserve pollinators on rangelands in the central U.S. and conducts research on monarch butterfly migration and overwintering in the southeastern U.S. Kevin is a Xerces Society Endangered Species Conservation Biologist based in northern Nevada. His work focuses on protecting the hundreds of butterfly species that inhabit deserts, forests, and grasslands across the western United States.

*Correction: when referencing the book Attracting Beneficial Insects, the correct title is Farming with Native Beneficial Insects: Ecological Pest Control Solutions.

** Correction: When referencing the tool Monarch Plant Finder, the correct name for the tool is Plants for Monarchs.

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Photo: Xerces Society/Nancy Lee Adamson

Thank you for listening! For more information go to xerces.org/bugbanter.