This year we are celebrating our fiftieth anniversary. Since it was launched in 1971, the Xerces Society has grown to become a widely respected organization, leading the way on the protection of insects and invertebrates in North America and beyond. The articles in this issue reflect our growth and achievements over the last half century.

The Xerces Society Celebrates Fifty Years of Science-Based Conservation, by Scott Black. Page 3.

Helping Bees by Growing a Better Food System, by Eric Lee-Mäder. Taking steps to protect pollinators doesn’t necessarily mean gardening, or advocating for new laws. It can be as simple as what you buy at the grocery store. Page 5.

Using Community Science to Conserve Bumble Bees: From Small Beginnings to a Continent-Wide Effort, by Rich Hatfield. Community science has become a powerful tool for gathering information about bumble bees, and a central component of Xerces’ conservation work. Page 11.

Protecting Grassland Ecosystems from Insecticides, by Scott Black. Grasshoppers are generally perceived as pests, but they play an essential role in the food web of rangeland ecosystems. Page 16.

Conservation Spotlight. Our founder, Robert Michael Pyle, continues to play a role with Xerces. Page 23.

Invertebrate Notes. A new book from Xerces and recent research on insect population declines. Page 24.

Staff Profile. Melody Mackey Allen, Xerces’ first executive director, 1984–2000. Page 26.

Xerces News. Updates on Xerces Society projects and achievements. Page 27.