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Bug Banter Podcast

Bug Banter Podcast

Bug Banter with the Xerces Society is a podcast where we explore the world of invertebrates and discover how to help these extraordinary animals.

Each episode, co-hosts Matthew Shepherd and Rachel Dunham will dive into the mysteries of native insects and other invertebrates in North America.  Your imagination will travel underground, overhead, and in between as you listen to expert guests share the secrets of tiny creatures that live amongst us but are often unknown. Learn all about the fascinating ways in which these animals are unique, but also the ways in which we aren't that different after all. In just half hour sessions, become an apprentice in the ways we can better share the earth with wildlife and help these precious animals in peril. 

Listen online or wherever you get your podcasts. 

Bug Banter podcast cover art featuring insect silhouettes and the Xerces Society logo

Invertebrate illustrations by Freepik

Recent Episodes

Violets blooming in a grassy lawn

No Mow May: A Starting Point, Not the Finish Line

29 MinutesGuests: Matthew Shepherd

Person holding a freshwater mussel over a stream

Floater, Sheepnose, and Cat’s Paw: Exploring the Fascinating World of Freshwater Mussels

41 MinutesGuests: Emilie Blevins, Jack Fetters

Spring flowers blooming on the forest floor in an open patch where sunlight can get through

Buzzing Canopies: Forests' Vital Role in Supporting Pollinator Diversity

38 MinutesGuests: Kass Urban-Mead

All Episodes

Listen Now

Spotify
Apple Podcasts
Amazon Music
Buzzsprout & More Options

Meet Your Hosts

Matthew Shepherd - Xerces Society

Matthew Shepherd

Director of Outreach and Education

Matthew has spent more than 35 years working with people from all walks of life to create better places for wildlife. His career began in England and took him to Kenya before his arrival in the United States. He has worked for the Xerces Society for over two decades, initially at the vanguard of the movement to protect pollinators, but he shifted to communications, and now community engagement and conservation in towns and cities. Matthew is author of numerous articles and other publications, including Attracting Native Pollinators (Storey Publishing, 2011) and Gardening for Butterflies (Timber Press, 2016).
Rachel Dunham - Xerces Society

Rachel Dunham

Community Engagement Coordinator

As the Xerces Society’s first Community Engagement Coordinator, Rachel has built the volunteer program from the ground up and is finding new ways for Xerces to connect to communities. As an Oregonian, she has always loved wildlife and being outdoors. Rachel pursued her passion for nature at Seattle Pacific University, graduating with a bachelor's in ecology, and earning a master's of wildlife conservation from the University of Maine. Her work history includes the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, Princess Cruise Lines, and Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge.

Contact

Contact [email protected] with comments or questions about the Bug Banter podcast.