The noted lepidopterist and author Dr. Robert Michael Pyle started the Xerces Society thirty-five years ago. The Society quickly established itself at the forefront of invertebrate conservation and has remained an influential voice for the “little things that run the world.” From its origins as a small group of dedicated volunteers, the Society grew into a professionally staffed organization. In the past year we have grown again, adding to our staff and opening a regional office in California, strengthening our ability to protect invertebrates and their habitat.

Invertebrates are important in their own right, but there is another reason to educate people about them. As people grow to respect and understand the importance of insects and other small creatures they will, in turn, understand and respect the cycle of life. Also, because many invertebrates occur in backyards and neighborhood greenspaces, they can serve as an effective introduction for people to the importance of protecting habitat.

The Society was founded by a scientist, and science remains at the core of our work. Whether we are working with the Forest Service to better understand the life history of an endangered butterfly, training volunteers to monitor watershed health using aquatic invertebrates, or preparing an Endangered Species Act petition for a critically imperiled springsnail, we always use the best possible science. Our outreach work—working with farmers to improve habitat for crop pollinating bees, for example—and our publications take current research and put it into easy-to-understand guidance that can be used to protect, enhance, or restore habitat for invertebrates.

The conservation of invertebrates and the protection of the vital services they provide will necessitate a greater effort by scientists, land managers, conservationists, and citizens. We hope that our work provides the inspiration for conservation action.