Beetles are one of the most diverse groups of insects on the planet and are endlessly fascinating. Join Jennifer Hopwood to learn more about how beetles are helping us in myriad ways, by contributing to soil health, controlling crop and garden pests, pollinating plants; and learn more about steps we can take to help them.

This webinar will be recorded and available on our YouTube channel. Closed Captioning will be available during this webinar.

Learn more and register here today! 


Jennifer Hopwood - Senior Pollinator Conservation Specialist, Midwest - Xerces Society 
Jennifer provides resources and training for pollinator and beneficial insect habitat management and restoration in a variety of landscapes. She oversees a team of four USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service partner biologists and works closely with the NRCS. Jennifer has authored a number of publications and articles, and is co-author of several books, including Farming with Native Beneficial Insects, 100 Plants to Feed the Bees, and a roadside revegetation manual. Jennifer has a master's degree in entomology from the University of Kansas. Along with work as a research specialist conducting invertebrate field research and identification, Jennifer was an instructor in biology and environmental science at Iowa State University and Des Moines Area Community College prior to joining Xerces in 2009.

There is more to fireflies than just summer sparkles! Join endangered species conservation biologist Richard Joyce for a presentation about the fireflies of the USA, focusing on the natural history and conservation needs of our most threatened species. He will also give tips on how to decode the flash patterns of fireflies and explain how you can provide crucial data for firefly research and conservation through Xerces's Firefly Atlas project.

This webinar will be recorded and available on our YouTube channel. Closed Captioning will be available during this webinar.

Learn more and register here today!


Richard Joyce - Endangered Species Conservation Biologist Firefly Atlas - Xerces Society 
Richard joined Xerces as an endangered species conservation biologist in 2022. He coordinates many aspects of the Firefly Atlas project, collaborates with researchers, land managers, and community scientists, and compiles and creates tools and resources that drive firefly conservation efforts.

Before joining Xerces, Richard worked at conservation non-profits and agencies in Maine and South Carolina, including The Nature Conservancy, Maine Natural Areas Program, and Congaree National Park. He is based in Amherst, Massachusetts, where he enjoys birding, botanizing, and photographing insects in local green spaces.

Join Rich Hatfield, Xerces Senior Endangered Species Conservation Biologist, to take a deep dive into the reproductive females of bumble bees, including cuckoo bumble bees. We'll primarily look at the solitary phase of the lifecycle, including what is known about where and how they hibernate, and what we know about what it takes to establish a nest and how they select a site. We'll likely have as many questions as answers in this webinar, but please join us for an exploration into the lesser known aspects of bumble bee ecology.

This webinar will be recorded and available on our YouTube channel. Closed Captioning will be available during this webinar.

Learn more and register here today!


Rich Hatfield - Senior Endangered Species Conservation Biologist, Bumble Bee Conservation Lead - Xerces Society
Rich manages all aspects of the Xerces Society’s work on bumble bees. Rich has a master’s degree in conservation biology from San Francisco State University, and he joined the Xerces Society in 2012. While earning his degree, his thesis focused on local- and landscape-level factors that contribute to bumble bee species richness and abundance. He has also investigated native bee pollination in agricultural systems in the Central Valley of California and researched endangered butterflies in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, as well as throughout the Pacific Northwest. In addition to his skills as a research biologist, Rich also has extensive classroom teaching experience with a focus on conservation biology, ecology, and sustainability.