Essays on Invertebrate Conservation

WINGS ESSAYS ON INVERTEBRATE CONSERVATION

THE XERCES SOCIETY FALL 2015 CONTENTS

Pesticides are often the first choice for dealing with a pest, or even with the prospect of one. This issue of Wings suggests that we reassess how we use them and why.

Rethinking Pesticides Scott Hoffman Black Page 3.

Pursuing a Thoughtful Balance in the Management of Insect Pests Thelma Heidel-Baker and Scott Hoffman Black Managing insect pests is a major concern for all farmers. Integrated pest management offers an effective approach that works in concert with the environment. Page 5.

Mosquitoes, Wildlife, and People: Crafting an Integrated Management Plan Celeste A. Searles Mazzacano A mosquito outbreak brought calls for spraying on a national wildlife refuge. Local action forced a review of the proposed plan and led to a new solution. Page 10.

Neonicotinoids: Silver Bullets that Misfired Aimee Code Neonicotinoids have rapidly become the world’s most-used insecticides. It’s now apparent that their impact reaches far beyond their intended targets. Page 16.

Conservation Spotlight The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Region is seeking to better understand monarch butterflies and native milkweeds in the western United States.Page 22.

Invertebrate Notes A roundup of new books and recent research. Page 24.

Staff Profile Meet Aimee Code, who directs our pesticide program. Page 26.

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

2 WINGS Rethinking Pesticides

Scott Hoffman Black

Pesticides have been used to control in- as acutely toxic to humans; no one rec- sects for millennia. We know that the ognized the extent to which DDT would ancient Romans burned sulfur to kill impact the food chain. Once that be- insect pests; centuries later, in the 1600s, came understood, DDT was phased out. people were using a mixture of honey By 1975 it had been replaced by organo- and arsenic to kill ants. By the end of the phosphates and carbamates, although nineteenth century, U.S. farmers were it took decades for bald eagles, ospreys, employing a variety of toxic chemicals and other birds of prey to recover. to control pests, including copper aceto­ This cycle repeated itself in the arsenite (known as Paris green), calcium 1990s, when yet another class of insecti- arsenate, and nicotine sulfate. cides were introduced, neonicotinoids, In the 1950s, arsenic-based pesti- once again touted as an improvement cides were replaced by DDT, promoted over prior chemicals. Neonicotinoids as an improvement because it was not have two properties that seemed to jus-

Pesticides have become the first option for pest management in intensive agriculture, often applied prophylactically before pests even appear. The reflexive use of chemicals has unhealthy consequences for our ecosystems. Photograph by Tamina Miller, Flickr.com.

FALL 2015 3 tify this claim. First, they are less acutely ing suite of chemicals we use. It is the toxic to birds and mammals, including way we use them. Humans constantly humans, which lessened the health im- seek the easiest way to control pests and pacts on people. The second potential weeds. The complexity of ecosystems, benefit was that neonicotinoids were however, means that no single method, “targeted” to kill pests in that they are whether it is a chemical or not, can solve systemic—meaning that once applied a problem in its entirety, and each new they are absorbed by the plant, mak- silver-bullet solution is likely to lead to ing the leaves, stems, and roots toxic to new and unforeseen problems. pests. It was thought that this would be a We need to rethink the ways that we way to keep the insecticide from coming deal with nature and the ecosystems on into contact with beneficial organisms, which we and all other species depend. but that didn’t turn out to be the case. Farms, gardens, parks, and other such The problem is that neonicotinoids are areas are complex systems, and we must taken up into the nectar and pollen, and treat them as such. If we hope to have we now know that pollinators attracted healthy ecosystems we need a new ap- to treated flowers can pick up these in- proach, one that uses their complexity secticides while feeding or gathering to our advantage. The vast majority of supplies for their nest. In some instances animals in the landscape—including in- this can be directly lethal, while in oth- sects—are beneficial, or at least benign. ers it leads to problems with flying, navi- We can use this fact to our advantage by gating, and finding food sources; it also fostering habitats that support the pred- may lead to lower production of young. ators and parasites of crop pests. We also To compound this, neonicotinoids need to spend more time understanding are long-lived and mobile in the envi- actual pests and at what level they will ronment, which is why they are being impact yield or kill a plant. compared to DDT. Indeed, measurable An equally important concern is amounts of residual pesticide have been that many farmers and gardeners use found in woody plants up to six years insecticides when they are not needed. after a single application. Neonicoti- Millions of acres a year are treated with noids can remain in soil for months or neonicotinoids as a kind of “insurance even years after use, and plants planted policy,” even though no pest problems the following year may absorb those are known to be present, and millions chemical residues. Moreover, they move of pounds of insecticides are applied in easily from soil to water, where they urban and suburban areas in the quest have been shown to negatively impact for blemish-free landscapes. Simply aquatic organisms that are the base of moving away from such practices can the food chain. These insecticides may save money and help pollinators as well be leading to declines in everything as other beneficial insects. from aquatic insects to songbirds, and a Rather than seeking the next quick growing body of evidence suggests that fix, we need to look at root causes and neonicotinoids are one factor in declin- address those. By doing so, we can both ing populations of pollinators. produce the food we need and protect But the real issue is not the revolv- the environment we love.

4 WINGS Pursuing a Thoughtful Balance In the Management of Insect Pests

Thelma Heidel-Baker and Scott Hoffman Black

Looking across lush fields of corn or sects, weeds, or diseases —pesticides fre- cabbages, or rows of ripe tomatoes quently come into play. Often farmers ready for harvest, insect conservation use pesticides prophylactically, apply- may not be the first thing that comes ing insecticides (or fungicides or herbi- to mind. Rather, thoughts of insects cides) to prevent the damage caused by in relation to farming are more likely “pests,” regardless of whether pests are to be about how to control pests and actually in evidence. limit crop damage. For farmers grow- Unfortunately, pesticides, and in- ing food for human consumption and secticides in particular, can also harm feed for animals, insect attacks are a the vast majority of invertebrates that threat to their crops; and in addition are benign or even beneficial—the bees, to insect pests, farmers must deal with flies, beetles, and other insects that live weeds and plant diseases. In seeking to in and around agricultural fields and control these problems—whether in- that often provide such important eco-

Integrated pest management (IPM) provides an alternative to the simple wholesale appli- cation of pesticides. This multi-faceted approach allows farmers to conserve the “good” insects while controlling the “bad” ones. Photograph by TumblingRun, Flickr.com.

FALL 2015 5 system services as pollination and bio- Biological control—usually shortened logical control. to “biocontrol”—makes use of preda- Pest control and insect conservation tors (species that eat other species) and are not mutually exclusive — but how parasitoids (species that complete part does one create a balance between man- of their lifecycle inside a host and in the aging the few insects that actually harm process kill it) to suppress pest popula- crops while still conserving the good tions. In classical biocontrol, beneficial ones? Integrated pest management, or organisms are intentionally brought in IPM, is one approach that brings conser- from elsewhere and released to control vation into the equation, employing a a pest; examples include lady beetles variety of pest control methods instead that eat aphids, weevils that bore into of relying solely upon chemicals. roots or seed heads and stop plants from There are many ways to describe spreading, and nematodes that parasit- IPM, but one of the most concise defi- ize grubs. nitions is from the University of Cali- Often, though, such released “natu- fornia at Davis: “IPM is an ecosystem- ral” enemies of crop pests are not native, based strategy that focuses on long-term having been imported from a country prevention of pests or their damage where the pest species originated, and through a combination of techniques they may become pests in their own such as biological control, habitat ma- right. Conservation biocontrol takes nipulation, modification of cultural a different tack, focusing instead on practices, and use of resistant varieties.” boosting populations of predators and What might these techniques look like parasitoids of pest species that are al- in practice? ready present in the agroecosystem.

Potter wasps (Parancistrocerus fulvipes) provision their nests with caterpillars and other soft-bodied prey. Each nest may contain dozens of paralyzed insects. Photograph by Bryan E. Reynolds.

6 WINGS Habitat manipulation is an effec- tive way to support beneficial insects, employing such strategies as planting hedgerows or flower strips alongside crops, or growing insectary flowers be- tween crop plants. For IPM, this may in- clude ensuring the presence of breeding or overwintering sites for beneficial spe- cies when crops are not growing, or pro- viding alternative nectar sources while they are. Syrphid flies, for example, eat aphids as larvae but consume nectar as adults, and nectar-producing plants can help to fuel their search for aphid colo- nies within which to lay eggs. Improved habitat can also bring with it benefits beyond conservation biocontrol, including enhanced pollina- tion and the filtering of irrigation runoff into nearby creeks and ponds. Cultural practices—the routine activi- Hedgerows and flower strips provide habitat where beneficial insects can nest ties of farmers in caring for their crops— and complete their life cycle near to crop can have a significant effect on whether fields. Made from mud, these are cells of a or not pests are present, as well as on the potter wasp nest. Photograph by Bryan E. ability of crops to resist them. Crop ro- Reynolds. tation is a well-established way to limit the growth of pest populations by dis- breeding to improve their crops by se- rupting their food supply and lifecycles. lecting for larger fruit or more vigor- Intercropping, or planting a repeating ous plants, and such efforts can result pattern of strips of different crops with- in traits that make some strains more in the same field, increases landscape resistant to pests or better suited to par- diversity and can make a field less at- ticular growing conditions. Careful se- tractive to pest species that are special- lection of the varieties to be planted can ists on a particular crop plant. Irrigation reduce the likelihood of pest infestation can be managed in such a way as to con- or crop damage. trol pests—as is done, for example, with In conjunction with these strate- the annual flooding of cranberry bogs gies, IPM may incorporate the use of —or to encourage the growth of stronger pesticides, but only in ways that are plants that are more resistant to attack. carefully targeted through the choice The use of resistant varieties of crop of products and application methods. plants is another technique for man- Although the thoughtful use of pesti- aging pests with a long record of suc- cides can be one part of an IPM program, cess. For centuries, farmers have used IPM does not embrace chemicals as a

FALL 2015 7 ­primary means of control. Thus, a spray particular—is one of the most impor- program that applies pesticides based on tant decisions a farmer has to make. In the date or season (often called calendar- IPM, one of the core concepts is that based spraying) is not IPM, nor is simply such decisions are dictated by the eco- monitoring a field for the presence of nomic threshold. In its simplest form, an insect pest and then applying pes- the economic threshold is a particular ticides when it shows up. Even though pest density—the number of insects per the use of pesticides may be somewhat plant, for instance—that helps to deter- judicious in such programs, integration mine when taking action against that of alternative control strategies into the pest will be cost-effective. Regular moni- pest-­management plan is lacking. toring of a crop will reveal the presence While conservation biocontrol and density of a pest as well as the de- and the planting of resistant varieties gree of damage that it’s causing, and are good practices under almost all cir- only when the pest density exceeds the cumstances, choosing if and when to predetermined threshold will a control undertake more intensive control mea- measure be recommended. The strength sures against any particular pest—and of this approach is that the decision to initiating chemical intervention in act is built upon a range of information, including the biology of the particular pest (growth rate, phenology) and the consequent potential for damage, as well as economic considerations (the cost of treatment, the value of the crop). To implement effective monitoring, farmers need to understand what pest insects might be present and know how to identify them. It is also vital to be able to differentiate them from their benefi- cial relatives, since some pests look very much like other insects that might help control them. Stink bugs are a good ex- ample of this: plant-feeding species can become pests at high population levels, whereas their cousins, carnivorous stink bugs, are generalist predators. Integrated pest management does not seek merely to control existing pests, but, by addressing environmen- tal factors that affect the pests’ ability to thrive, it helps to keep them from becoming a serious problem in the first Identifying insects is important for suc- cessful implementation of IPM, since ben- place. IPM is applied in five phases: first, eficial species and pest species can appear identify potential pests; second, reduce similar. Photograph by Debbie Roos. the conditions that favor pest popula-

8 WINGS Ichneumon wasps can provide valuable pest control. They lay eggs inside other in- sects, and their growing offspring kill the hosts. Photograph by Bryan E. Reynolds. tions; third, determine the economic soils are all crucial for sustainability threshold for damage; fourth, monitor and conservation. It just makes sense to the presence or absence of pest popula- protect these resources and the benefits tions; and, finally, control pests when they provide. the economic threshold is reached. IPM is ultimately about taking a The underlying principle here is to cre- long-term, environmentally conscious ate farm conditions that are not favor- approach to caring for crops. With on- able for pests. Quite often this may not going research into pest species yield- mean eliminating a pest altogether, ing new discoveries in ways to manage but lowering the degree of threat that them, IPM plans can continue to be it presents and keeping its population current and effective, allowing farmers below the level that results in economi- to adapt and change in the light of new cally significant crop damage. This can information. If implemented correctly, be accomplished by incorporating and integrated pest management can both selectively applying the preventive strat- lower costs to the farmers and reduce egies described above, thus making pest harmful impacts on the environment, management truly integrated. two goals that will help agricultural The goal of every IPM program is to landscapes work better for all of us. protect our natural resources while at the same time managing pests and the damage they cause, thereby creating a Both authors work for the Xerces Society. better environment for crops to thrive IPM specialist Thelma Heidel-Baker works as well as a healthier place for all of us to with farmers to develop successful pest- live. Minimizing risks to wildlife in the management programs for a variety of farm landscape—including bees, flies, crops. Scott Hoffman Black is executive di- and other crop pollinators—and taking rector; his background includes experience care to provide clean water and healthy with sustainable agriculture.

FALL 2015 9 Mosquitoes, Wildlife, and People: Crafting an Integrated Management Plan

Celeste A. Searles Mazzacano

The Bandon Marsh National Wildlife for what is generally seen as a less desir- Refuge, established in 1983 on Oregon’s able member of the marsh community, southern coast near the mouth of the the saltmarsh mosquito, Aedes dorsalis— Coquille River, sits on land that has a and thereby opened the floodgates to a long history of human habitation. As whole new kind of problem. many as three thousand years ago, na- Salt marsh restoration often facili- tive tribes built weirs to harvest the tates natural mosquito control; larval abundant coho and Chinook salmon and adult mosquitoes are eaten by the that thrived in the estuary’s constantly myriad fish, birds, amphibians, and in- changing network of tidal channels. vertebrates that return to the habitat, The Europeans who came in the 1800s, and the daily flushing action of the tides though, had a different approach. To prevents mosquito breeding and devel- them, the marsh, ill-suited for the pro- opment. At Bandon, unfortunately, the duction of crops and livestock, was a large equipment used in the restoration problem that needed to be drained, work left behind ditches and depres- ditched, diked, and dammed. These sions, which expanded the breeding early settlers destroyed thousands of habitat for the saltmarsh mosquitoes. acres of tidal wetlands that were critical- Monthly high tides filled these depres- ly important habitat for fish and frogs, sions with water, and, when the weather otters and oystercatchers, pelicans and grew warm, mosquitoes developed from plovers, and a host of other wildlife spe- egg to adult before the next high tide cies; ultimately much of the marsh be- could flush them out. came home to grazing cattle. Aedes dorsalis adults can fly several In 2009, hoping to restore the habi- miles from the sites where they first tat to some of its former function, the emerge, so increased mosquito popula- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service began tions on the refuge soon made them- extensive restoration of this damaged selves known to area residents. In 2012, land by removing tidal gates and dikes, people in nearby Bandon experienced filling in ditches, and re-opening the unusual— some said unprecedented— historic web of tidal channels in an biting by hungry female mosquitoes. area re-named Ni-les’tun, which in the While the Bandon area has no recent language of the Coquille people means history of mosquito-borne disease, and “small fish dam in river.” The project although Aedes dorsalis is not a vector for was successful at improving habitat for West Nile virus, the saltmarsh mosquito denizens of the marsh, but, by 2011, it is a persistent biter and its bites are pain- had also inadvertently created habitat ful; by 2013, angry neighbors were de-

10 WINGS manding that the ­refuge deal with “its” larvae developed, a hasty and ill-advised mosquitoes. plan was assembled. The refuge declared Refuge staff had begun monitoring an emergency due to the abundance and they knew which pools contained of mosquitoes, and the Coos County mosquito larvae, but they had never Board of Commissioners proposed to needed to manage mosquitoes before, spray ten thousand acres in and around and the county in which the refuge is the refuge with two broad-spectrum in- located has no mosquito abatement dis- secticides, Dibrom and MetaLarv S-PT. trict (a public agency tasked with mos- Dibrom is an organophosphate quito control). Delayed action, increas- insecticide that is sprayed to kill adult ing hostility from neighbors, fears about mosquitoes, but it is also highly toxic impacts to a valuable tourism industry, to other insects—including natural en- and a lack of knowledge about mosquito emies of mosquitoes—as well as to fish, physiology and management all com- birds, and mammals. The application bined to create a recipe for disaster. By of adulticides such as Dibrom is widely late summer 2013, even though mos- recognized to be ineffective, as they do quito populations were already decreas- not control the source of the mosquito ing with the approach of fall and the problem, and adults of species with drying down of the pools in which the good dispersal ability, such as Aedes dor-

The Ni-les’tun Unit of the Bandon Marsh National Wildlife Refuge lies on the Coquille River, near its mouth on the southern coast of Oregon. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser- vice recently removed dikes and dams, filled old drainage ditches, and re-opened stream channels to allow the tides to return to the land. Photograph by Roy W. Lowe, USFWS.

FALL 2015 11 salis, continue to emerge and then reoc- residents welcomed this proposal as a cupy previously treated sites. MetaLarv way to end the mosquito problem, but is a slow-release formulation of metho- more than two-thirds of the residents prene, a compound that mimics the who spoke at the meeting opposed the naturally occurring juvenile hormone spraying plan. Organic gardeners want- in insects and thereby prevents mosqui- ed assurance that their plants and soil to larvae from developing into adults. would not be contaminated; beekeepers While more targeted than Dibrom and were alarmed about die-offs; and cran- other organophosphate insecticides, berry growers feared that if their ripen- MetaLarv is highly toxic to a wide array ing crop contained pesticide residues it of aquatic insects and crustaceans that would be rejected by buyers. are at the heart of aquatic food webs. As director of the Xerces Society’s Matters came to a head at a public aquatic conservation program, I joined meeting convened in early September the concerned citizens at this meeting. 2013 by Coos County commissioners Xerces objected to the use of broad- and attended by staff of both the Ban- spectrum insecticides on a federal don Marsh National Wildlife Refuge wildlife refuge that houses a diversity and Jackson County Vector Control, of non-target organisms, including sev- who had been called in to advise the eral federally listed endangered species. county and helped create the spraying Our concern was heightened by the fact plan. The intention was to begin spray- that this action was being implemented ing immediately. Some Bandon-area in the absence of a thorough investiga-

Old drainage ditches were filled slowly to ease fish downstream out of the construction area. USFWS and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists monitored the work, capturing and relocating fish when necessary. Photograph by Roy W. Lowe, USFWS.

12 WINGS Bandon Marsh is home to thousands of shorebirds—particularly dur- ing migration—and the Coquille River supports salmon (including the threatened coho) and steelhead. Photograph by Roy W. Lowe, USFWS. tion of alternatives and likely impacts, formulation of the biological mosquito- and without the consultations required cide Bti. Bti is based on the bacterium under the National Environmental Pol- Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis, which icy Act and the Endangered Species Act. produces a crystalline toxin that, when Xerces urged the adoption of an in- ingested by the larvae of flies such as tegrated pest management (IPM) plan mosquitoes and midges, disrupts their that would be more effective at dealing stomachs and kills them before they can with the problem and at the same time become adults. Bti is toxic to other types more environmentally sustainable. As of true flies (order Diptera), but it affects we pointed out, the refuge already had far fewer non-target invertebrates, and all the pieces in place to launch such a is safe for fish, birds, and mammals, program. With adult populations di- including humans. Because true flies minishing at the end of summer, nui- are consumed by a variety of wildlife, sance biting had begun to decline. The though, regular repeated use of Bti can females had left behind a large number have food web impacts through there of eggs, which spend the winter in a being fewer flies to eat. By targeting the dormant state until they are triggered to ponds where mosquitoes were known to hatch by spring water levels and warm- be breeding, monitoring consistently to ing temperatures. assess larval numbers and developmen- Xerces Society staff advocated for tal stages, and treating only when larvae refuge staff to begin monitoring the were present, the existing population mosquito “hotspots” they had already could be controlled, and fly-offs of new pinpointed in early spring of 2014, to adults could be prevented while the ref- detect the first newly hatched larvae and uge staff worked to remove the pools left then to treat the pools as needed with a behind from the initial restoration.

FALL 2015 13 This aerial view shows the flooding that now takes place across the Ni-les’tun Unit dur- ing a high tide. Formerly, hollows and ditches that didn’t drain as the tides ebbed gave saltmarsh mosquitoes a place to breed. Photograph by Roy W. Lowe, USFWS.

Xerces was not alone in propound- were treated with MetaLarv. While this ing such a plan. When mosquitoes had effort was an improvement over the first been a problem around Bandon the original proposal, it was still under- previous year, a similar recommenda- taken without reference to either mos- tion had been made to the county com- quito physiology or good IPM practices. missioners by vector control specialists In the months that followed, the refuge from Klamath County. At Bandon, Xer­ worked to develop a more comprehen- ces Society staff met with community sive plan not only to manage mosquito activists, provided information based populations, but also to conduct habi- on our publication Ecologically Sound tat modifications to remove the pools in Mosquito Management in Wetlands, and which mosquitoes were breeding. reached out directly to refuge biologists. The Xerces Society continued to ad- The result? Two days after the public vocate for a rational, environmentally meeting the plan for widespread spray- sound, and effective IPM approach, in- ing was cancelled, the proposed use of cluding educating the public about the organophosphates was dropped, and lack of risk for mosquito-borne disease only three hundred acres of the marsh and the importance of personal pro-

14 WINGS tection against biting; carrying out a the work of creating additional tidal consistent monitoring program to pin- channels to drain the mosquito habi- point microhabitats that are mosquito tat was also begun; by mid-summer the hotspots, assess seasonal patterns of new channels were working so well that abundance, and gauge the effectiveness fewer acres required Bti treatment. of management actions; and develop- Very few mosquito larvae were ing and implementing a site-specific found in the marsh in the spring of management plan that would preserve 2015, and the refuge reported that “all the ecological integrity of the national indications suggest the implementation wildlife refuge and its surroundings. of our Integrated Mosquito Manage- In March 2014, the Oregon Coast ment Plan was successful at keeping the National Wildlife Refuge Complex is- numbers of biting mosquitoes leaving sued a draft of its “Integrated Marsh Bandon Marsh Refuge at tolerable levels, Management Plan and Environmen- and eliminating the vast majority of the tal Assessment for Mosquito Control” breeding habitat on the Refuge.” for public comment. The plan set forth Public wellbeing and taking care of several options for mosquito control, the environment are all too often por- including the one for which Xerces had trayed as being at odds with each other, advocated: to carefully monitor mos- but that does not have to be the case. quito populations; to develop explicit Developing a site-specific integrated thresholds for larval abundance that management plan that uses multiple would trigger treatment; and to use only methods of control targeted at the most Bti products to control mosquito larvae, vulnerable life stages of the pest while and then only for as long as needed until causing the least harm to non-target or- restoration work obviates the mosquito ganisms and the environment requires problem. The Xerces Society strongly time and expertise, but in the end every- recommended this course of action dur- one wins. ing the public comment period, and the In Bandon, residents are once again Center for Food Safety also weighed in free to go about their daily business with support. This option was ultimate- without being tormented by clouds of ly adopted, and mosquito monitoring biting mosquitoes; meanwhile, at the began in April 2014. nearby refuge, mosquitoes continue to That monitoring confirmed the play their normal role in an ecosystem presence of mosquito larvae in the Ni- that includes a diversity of other aquatic les’tun Unit in early May, and Bti was invertebrates, all providing sustenance applied at those sites. Continued moni- for the foraging fish and waterfowl that toring throughout the summer revealed call this vulnerable estuary home. a pattern of mosquito larvae appearing after monthly high tides, but targeted Bti treatments administered when lar- Celeste A. Searles Mazzacano is the direc- vae were young and particularly vulner- tor of aquatic conservation at the Xerces able were effective in reducing the sub- Society. She has collaborated with com- sequent adult populations. While pools munities nationwide to develop successful were being treated with Bti as needed, mosquito-management plans.

FALL 2015 15 Neonicotinoids: Silver Bullets that Misfired

Aimee Code

It was National Pollinator Week 2013. ence blogs dismissed the number of We had been getting the usual inquiries bumble bees that died as being of small at the Xerces office: What type of bee is significance in that they were no more this? How do I make a bee nest? Can you than the population of a healthy hive recommend the best plants? Then the of honey bees, but an understanding of telephone started ringing with reports bumble bee biology leads to a different of dead bees—lots of them. Xerces staff conclusion. Bumble bees live in small members rushed to the scene, a big-box colonies, typically no larger than two to store in Wilsonville, Ore­gon, a half-hour three hundred bees even at their maxi- drive from our office. We were startled mum size; thus the deaths of fifty thou- to find the parking lot littered with sand bumble bees is equivalent to the bees—several species, including honey destruction of more than 150 complete bees, although the great majority were colonies. And the impact is not limited bumble bees—with more falling from to those colonies directly affected by the branches above every minute. Xer­ the loss of worker bees. Rather, the ef- ces staff contacted the Ore­gon Depart- fect carries forward into the following ment of Agriculture (the agency with years as a result of fewer queens being legal responsibility to investigate), and produced to establish new colonies. then helped organize an effort to net the In the intervening two years, the trees in order to stop the carnage. Oregon Department of Agriculture has The inquiry undertaken by the Ore­ investigated and confirmed six more gon Department of Agriculture found incidents of bee kills caused by the ap- that the bees had died from the appli- plication of neonicotinoids (or “neo­ cation of a neonicotinoid insecticide, nics”) on Tilia trees. The department dinotefuran, to the linden trees (genus has now acted to reduce the use of neo- Tilia) that lined the parking lot. The nics, banning their application to lin- trees were being treated against aphids, den, basswood, and other Tilia species which drip honeydew that can coat in the state. While the large bee kills sidewalks and parked cars below. With might have propelled neonics into the flowers rich in nectar, though, linden spotlight and brought some incremen- trees are a bumble bee magnet (honey tal gains in protection for bees, the scale bees may also gather honeydew), and of the risk posed by the use of these in- the insecticide had lethal consequences secticides is huge and threatens a broad far beyond its intended victims. An es- range of wildlife. timated fifty thousand or more bumble Neonicotinoids began to be used bees were killed. in the mid-1990s. The U.S. Environ- This is the largest native bee kill mental Protection Agency was seeking ever recorded. The authors of some sci- less-toxic alternatives to replace organo-

16 WINGS phosphate insecticides, which had been thoxam. (Use of imidacloprid and niten- linked with a variety of risks to human pyram for flea control in animals is gen- health and the environment. These new erally excluded from discussions about neonicotinoid chemicals were charac- neonic impacts on wildlife.) Neonicoti- terized as “reduced risk” by the EPA and noids are synthetic insecticides similar some were brought to market through in chemical structure to nicotine, and an abridged registration process. They all of them control pests through the quickly became the most heavily used same mode, binding to receptors in the class of insecticides, and they now make insects’ nervous systems and blocking up about 30 percent of the insecticide nerve impulses. market worldwide. Neonics are used on Although each neonic poses its own farms, in parks, on street trees, and in unique risks, there are several overarch- gardens. They are generally present in ing characteristics that are cause for all landscapes. concern: they persist in plants and soil Dinotefuran, the product respon- for months to years after an application sible for the Wilsonville bee kill, is one and can accumulate from one season to of seven chemicals that are classified as another; they are highly toxic to a broad neonicotinoids. The others are aceta­ spectrum of invertebrates, including miprid, clothianidin, imidacloprid, beneficial insects; they are water soluble nitenpyram, thiacloprid, and thiamen- and readily move into rivers, lakes, and

Bumble bees have been shown to be far less efficient at foraging when exposed to neonicotinoid insecticides. They bring much less food to the colony, leading to fewer new queens and new colonies. Photograph by Nancy Lee Adamson.

FALL 2015 17 This bucolic scene, complete with red barn, belies the reality of many modern farms. The widespread use of neonicotinoids, especially as a seed treatment, affects pollinators, beneficial insects, and aquatic systems. Photograph by Don Graham, Flickr.com. other water bodies; and because they are systemic insecticides is not sustainable. absorbed by plant tissues and become It found that these insecticides are caus- systemic (even when sprayed on foli- ing significant damage to a wide range age), they move into pollen and nectar, of beneficial invertebrate species, thus thereby following a direct route to expo- threatening the natural infrastructure sure for pollinators. that supports farming productivity and In 2012, the International Union broader ecosystem health. for Conservation of Nature passed a The threats from neonics and simi- resolution calling for a comprehensive lar chemicals go well beyond high- review of the impacts of systemic insec- profile bee kills. At low levels, neonics ticides on biodiversity and ecosystems. don’t kill invertebrates but instead can The review was carried out by the Task impair their functioning to the point Force on Systemic Pesticides, a multidis- of weakening populations over time. ciplinary group of independent scien- A 2014 study performed by researchers tists, who studied more than a thousand from Scotland’s University of Stirling, research articles and reports. The task for example, showed that bumble bees force’s analyses, published in a series of exposed to neonics were less efficient at articles in 2014, concluded that the cur- foraging, bringing back 31 percent less rent degree of use of neonics and other food to the colony compared to unex-

18 WINGS posed bees. As with the reverberating ef- the loss of aquatic insects, one of their fect of the bee kills at Wilsonville, such major food sources. Worryingly, the a decline in food supply would lead to latest research from the United States fewer new queens and, consequently, found neonics in more than half of the fewer colonies in following years. streams sampled in both urban and ag- There is strong evidence of neonic- ricultural areas. otinoids harming beneficial insects that The Xerces Society takes a precau- serve as natural pest control for agricul- tionary approach in response to neo- ture. Researchers from Penn State Uni- nicotinoid concerns. At the heart of the versity found that the activity and den- precautionary principle is the concept sity of the ground beetle Chlaenius tricol- that, when there is evidence of a plausi- or were lower in soybean fields planted ble risk, there is a social responsibility to with neonic-coated seeds. The beetles protect the environment or people from were harmed by neonic residues passed exposure to harm. (This is the same idea up the food chain from the crop-dam- that lies behind the adage “better safe aging slugs they were eating. The result than sorry.”) Furthermore, the protec- was fewer beetles eating the slugs and tions cannot be lifted or changed until thus a larger population of slugs damag- scientific studies are completed that pro- ing crops: soybean yield was reduced by vide reliable evidence that no harm will 5 percent in treated fields. Over the past result from any changes. The precau- twelve years the introduction of neo- tionary principle has been widely em- nicotinoid products applied as a seed braced around the world in the decades coating has rapidly increased the use of these chemicals. Penn State researchers also determined that for corn, cotton, and soybean alone, at least 42 million hectares (104 million acres) are planted with neonicotinoid-coated seed. That is roughly the size of California. On such a large scale, the use of neonics can trans- late to far-reaching detrimental impacts on natural pest-management services. The cascading impacts of these in- secticides go beyond crop fields. Their solubility means that they leach into the soil and then migrate into neigh- boring water bodies. A study from the Netherlands found that populations of insect-eating birds were declining in areas where there were increased con- centrations of neonics in surface water. Swallows, starlings, and sparrows were This planter is filled with corn seed made the most affected, with the survival of green by its neonic coating. Photograph these insectivorous birds jeopardized by by Lance Cheung, USDA-NRCS.

FALL 2015 19 since it was written into the Rio Decla- At the core of our work are efforts ration of the 1992 United Nations Earth to promote ecologically sound pest- Summit. In Europe, the precautionary management practices that shift away principle has been adopted into the pol- from chemical-intensive crop produc- icies and laws of the European Union. In tion. Recognizing that farmers and the United States, the principle under- pest-management professionals need lies environmental policy in San Fran- feasible alternatives if they are to change cisco and many other communities. their practices, Xerces is involved in re- Within the world of pesticide reg- search, including working with Iowa ulation, the precautionary principle State University to design integrated would shift the burden of proof onto the approaches to managing common soy- pesticide manufacturers. They would bean and corn pests. This project, which need to show that their products would has the potential to affect millions of not cause undue harm— rather than acres of production, will help growers merely, as now, showing how the risks understand what pests are problematic can be managed. and when control measures are needed,

Pothole wetlands are scattered across the corn fields of the northern Great Plains. Neonicotinoids leach from the fields into the wetlands, reducing the populations of aquatic insects that may support breeding birds during the summer, as well as migrat- ing flocks such as the white spots seen above. Photograph by Krista Lundgren,USFWS .

20 WINGS Swallows were among the birds found to be declining in areas where there were increased levels of neonicotinoids in surface water. Photograph by The-Gecko, Flickr.com. thus shifting away from the prophylac- change to reflect the greater risk that we tic use of neonicotinoid-coated seed. It now know exists. Indeed, the story of will also promote ecologically sound neonics is a cautionary tale about an in- management methods once pests are adequate regulatory system that allows identified. pesticides on the market before under- Xerces also presents short courses standing their impacts, and a chemical on conservation biological control, the industry that promises easy solutions to practice of supporting the native ben- solve complex pest problems. eficial insects that prey upon crop pests. Neonics were touted as silver bul- And we’ve worked with local communi- lets and sped to market to replace other ties and governments across the United harmful insecticides. They may have States to develop city or county regula- resolved some of the problems caused tions banning the use of neonicotinoids by the older insecticides, but neonicoti- on publicly owned lands; to date, we noids brought their own array of nega- have helped thirteen cities and counties tive consequences. In order to break this halt the use of neonics and have assisted cycle of replacing one problem with an- two others in creating plans to protect other, Xerces works to increase under- pollinators from pesticides. standing and implementation of more- The scale of the problem posed by sustainable practices with the greater neonics is sufficient to warrant immedi- goal of protecting the natural systems ate action. When they first appeared on on which we all depend. the market, neonicotinoids were touted as reduced-risk products, but our cur- rent knowledge paints a very different Aimee Code directs the Xerces Society’s picture, and government policies must pesticide program.

FALL 2015 21 CONSERVATION SPOTLIGHT

USFWS Pacific Region: A Champion for Monarchs and Milkweeds Too often these days, when the work of weeds they breed. These gaps in the data a U.S. federal natural resource agency limit the ability of the Fish and Wildlife is seen in the news it is about fighting Service —as well as other organizations a wildfire, or a dispute over grazing or in the region— to prioritize areas for logging. This is particularly true in the habitat restoration, and make it more western states, where large swaths of difficult to efficiently undertake surveys land are managed by the Bureau of Land of monarchs and milkweed. The USFWS Management, the Forest Service, or the Pacific Region is seeking to remedy that Fish and Wildlife Service. The reality is situation. that the events that catch the interest of The first step has been to develop a the media represent only a small part of Habitat Suitability Model; this effort is the work of these agencies. On a daily being undertaken with the leadership of basis, they are involved in managing the regional refuge biologist, Joe Engler, and conserving such treasured land- and project GIS lead Madeline Steele, in scapes as wilderness areas and national partnership with the Xerces Society’s wildlife refuges— and protecting the endangered species program. When wildlife that these lands support. completed, this model will allow USFWS The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists to narrow in on key areas, Pacific Region, which covers Wash- such as particular national wildlife ref- ington, Oregon, and Idaho (as well as uges and important migration corridors, Hawaii and other Pacific islands), is in order to conduct detailed surveys or working to understand and conserve to identify sites that could benefit from monarch butterflies and the native habitat restoration. The USFWS and milkweeds upon which they rely. The Xerces are also partnering to create a monarchs in these states are less well “Natural Lands Pollinator Habitat As- known than their relatives east of the sessment Tool” to enable the USFWS to Rockies; those monarchs have been evaluate refuge lands for suitability for tracked for years and their annual mi- monarchs and to plan and implement gration to Mexico studied in detail. restoration projects. The majority of monarch butter- As part of this effort, the Pacific Re- flies in western North America migrate gion and Xerces are working with the to coastal California for the winter. An- other Fish and Wildlife Service regions nual counts of butterflies at their over- across the western states (Pacific South- wintering sites have revealed a decline west, Mountain-Prairie, and Southwest) of nearly 50 percent since the late 1990s, to inventory key milkweed species loca- but there is little information about tions and collect breeding observations where western monarchs spend their for monarchs in the states west of the summers and on which species of milk- Rocky Mountains. Data gathering is co-

22 WINGS ordinated by a jointly funded regional helped inform the Pacific Region’s forth- monarch conservation specialist, Ash- coming “Five-Year Conservation Action ley Taylor. She divides her time between Plan for the Monarch Butterfly” and will the Xerces office and that of theUSFWS, help prioritize monarch habitat restora- and, during this last summer, spent con- tion and further surveys on refuges. siderable time in the field organizing The Fish and Wildlife Service is surveys on nine national wildlife ref- addressing monarch conservation na- uges and three national fish hatcheries tionwide, spurred on by the petition in the Pacific Northwest. for Endangered Species Act listing cur- Milkweed was found on three refug- rently being considered and the Nation- es where it had not previously been re- al Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey corded, and on two of the refuges mon- Bees and Other Pollinators issued by the arch butterflies themselves were seen for White House in May 2015. That strategy the first time. Information from the sur- set three major federal targets, one of veys is being compiled in a database and which is increasing monarch butterfly added to the distribution maps as part of numbers in order to protect the annual the Xerces Society’s Western Milkweed migration. The USFWS Pacific Region is and Monarch Survey. The new data has actively working toward that goal.

Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) cannot survive without milkweeds. The USFWS Pacific Region is leading a project to understand and conserve both the butterfly and its host plant across the western United States. Photo- graph by John Anderson, Hedgerow Farms, Inc.

FALL 2015 23 INVERTEBRATE NOTES

Study Looks at Effects of Climate Change on Bumble Bees How is climate change impacting bum- changes and pesticide applications. ble bees? Many other species’ geographi- Based on their findings, the authors cal ranges have expanded toward the believe that, across continents, climate poles while remaining relatively stable change distinctly and consistently con- along their equatorial edges, but a new tributes to the compression of range for study from a team of European and bumble bee species. North American researchers found that As this study suggests (and as Xer­ bumble bee species on both continents ces’ Rich Hatfield recently noted on our were experiencing pronounced losses of blog—“Climate Change Driving, Not range from their southern edges while the Only Passenger,” July 16, 2015), it simultaneously failing to expand their is important to recognize that not all ranges northward. species react to the changing climate The researchers used observations in the same way. Moreover, bumble gathered over 110 years to discern cli- bees confront a large range of stressors mate-change-related range shifts across in addition to climate change; if we can bumble bees’ thermal and latitudinal work to reduce these, perhaps we can limits, as well as their movements along buy these species more time to adapt. elevation gradients. They found these (http://www.sciencemag.org/content/ effects to be independent of land-use 349/6244/177.short.)

New Books The fall weather has arrived in north- congenial style, he tells a story in three ern latitudes, heralding the beginning parts. He begins by introducing the of several months with limited contact meadow’s myriad life, follows that with with insects. Instead, we must enjoy a an exploration of the creatures’ intricate more vicarious relationship through the interrelationships, then caps the narra- pages of books. tive with a sobering look at the environ- Dave Goulson is back with a follow- mental changes—including widespread up to A Sting in the Tale, a charming pollinator declines—that humans have chronicle of his bumble bee conserva- wrought upon the landscape. tion efforts (featured in the spring 2014 While the book brims with delight- issue of Wings). His new book, A Buzz ful anecdotes, Goulson also allows us a in the Meadow, transports readers to his glimpse into the mind of a field biolo- rural farmhouse and meadow in France, gist and the complexities of the scien- recounting his efforts to transform the tific process, and ultimately infuses the meadow into a home for wildlife. story with a powerful message about With Goulson’s characteristically conservation.

24 WINGS What could be more different from jellyfish, mollusks, tadpoles, and others the residents of a sun-drenched meadow are shown in all of their multihued and than the plankton in the darkest depths vaguely alien glory. of the sea? Although they form nearly The book goes beyond photography 98 percent of the biomass of ocean life, and micrography, as Sardet delves into plankton are invisible to the naked eye the life histories of different groups of —and thus many people might find it plankton, then connects them to the hard to envision them at all. But in ma- larger world and explains their impact rine scientist Christian Sardet’s Plank- on our own lives. This colorful glance at ton: Wonders of the Drifting World, these the frequently overlooked foundation of delicately beautiful life forms get their the aquatic food web might just change moment in the spotlight. Minuscule the way you picture the ocean.

Rare Nautilus Reappears After Three Decades This July, off the coast of Papua New may become a protected species under Guinea, the nautilus Allonautilus scro- the Convention on International Trade biculatus made its first appearance in in Endangered Species of Wildlife Fauna thirty years. It was spotted by University and Flora (CITES) treaty. (http://www. of Washington researcher Peter Ward, washington.edu/news/2015/08/25/ who with a colleague first discovered rare-nautilus-sighted-for-the-first-time- the elusive cephalopod near Nidrova Is- in-three-decades.) land in 1984. Initially, Ward says, they were taken aback by the “thick, hairy, slimy covering on its shell,” a character- istic that sets this species apart. On a recent expedition, Ward and his team observed Allonautilus while using baited traps to observe and cap- ture nautiluses. Their research has helped uncover more information about these “living fossils.” Nautiluses have specific require- ments for depth and temperature; since the area they can inhabit is narrow, most populations are isolated, and they vary from one area to another. These geographical limitations make conser- vation of the species difficult: in Ward’s words, once they are gone from an area, “They’re gone for good.” Not seen since the 1980s, the nautilus Al- Many species are currently threat- lonautilus scrobiculatus was spotted off ened by the international trade in nauti- Papua New Guinea in July. Photograph by lus shells. Ward hopes that this year they Peter Ward, University of Washington.

FALL 2015 25 STAFF PROFILE

Aimee Code, Pesticide Program Director What got you interested in insects? I was one of those kids who could spend hours outside digging for worms, watching fireflies in the evenings, and, yes, squishing the Japanese beetles that flocked to our raspberry plants. Some- time during middle school, I stopped noticing the insects around me. When my daughter started to toddle about and explore, I rediscovered my love of invertebrates. She delighted in watching a skipper nectar on an aster, or quietly observing a spider wrap up its prey. With her, I again took time to appreciate these extraordinary creatures. Who is (or was) your environmental hero? What made you want to work here? While I’m inspired by such people as Jacques working at the Northwest Coalition for Cousteau, Vandana Shiva, and Chico Alternatives to Pesticides, I often crossed Mendes, as well as less-well-known lead- paths with Xerces Society staff or made ers. Norma Grier, my former director at use of its resources in doing research, NCAP, is a woman who quietly moved and I was always impressed. When I saw mountains by empowering others. a job announcement from Xerces stat- ing that after many years of working on What’s your favorite place to visit? While I pesticide issues it had decided to create a love exploring new cultures, the place I dedicated program, I immediately knew most want to return to is Mongolia. The I wanted to be part of that team. small dose I received of Mongolian life, culture, and nature piqued my interest: Where did you study? I earned my under- throat singing, Genghis Kahn, sacred graduate degree in international rela- springs in the middle of vast open spac- tions from Northern Arizona Univer- es, wolves howling at night. I am excited sity, and then an MS in environmental to get back there someday. health from Oregon State University. The education I’ve valued most, though, What do you do to relax? I often wind was not the one I received during my for- down by reading a book while curled up mal schooling; the years I spent working in the wingback chair my grandmother in Africa and Central America provided gave to me. I also do yoga, garden, hike, me with greater perspective than any and when alone in the house often push university education could have. aside the furniture and dance.

26 WINGS XERCES NEWS

Rusty Patched Bumble Bee Now One Step Closer to Protection September was a good month for the some closely related bumble bees may rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus af- be attributable to the spread of patho- finis). After decades of declining popu- gens from commercial bumble bees to lations and a nearly 90 percent contrac- wild ones. Bumble bees are raised and tion in range, it was given a glimmer sold commercially to pollinate green- of hope for a future. The U.S. Fish and house tomatoes and many other types Wildlife Service issued a positive ninety- of crops worldwide, and very few regula- day finding in response to an Endan- tions currently exist to ensure that the gered Species Act petition requesting the bees that are sold are free of diseases. bee to be listed as “endangered.” This The ninety-day finding by the ESA petition was authored by Xerces So- USFWS means that the agency agrees ciety staff and bumble bee scientists Dr. that there is evidence that this bumble Robbin Thorp, professor emeritus at the bee is in trouble and that it will now take University of California at Davis, and an official look at whether or not the bee Elaine Evans, a Ph.D. candidate at the deserves ESA protection. An ESA listing University of Minnesota. would result in the designation of criti- The rusty patched bumble bee faces cal habitat and the writing of a recov- a variety of threats, including diseases, ery plan for the bumble bee, and could pesticides, habitat loss, and climate make federal funds available for conser- change. The recent declines of this and vation efforts by individual states.

The rusty patched bumble bee (Bombus affinis) is one signifi- cant step closer to protection. Photograph by Rich Hatfield.

FALL 2015 27 Seven Native Hawaiian Bees Proposed as Endangered Species The rusty patched bumble bee isn’t the ized, these will be the first bees to gain only species that received good news federal protection in the United States. this fall. After six years of consider- Yellow-faced bees are the only bees ation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service native to the Hawaiian islands, and, proposed that seven species of Hawaiian since many of Hawaii’s native plants are yellow-faced bees be listed as “endan- not well adapted to pollination by non- gered” under the Endangered Species native pollinators, are a keystone species Act. When the proposed rule is final- in the islands’ ecosystems. The USFWS recognized multiple threats to these bees—from the loss of habitat to land conversion, development, and recre- ation (especially in coastal and lowland areas) to the impacts of such nonnative species as wild pigs, bigheaded ants, and invasive plants. The agency also recog- nized that climate change, fire, and the small populations of these bees are fac- tors that threaten them with extinction. Conservation of these Hawaiian yellow-faced bees will require the ac- tive management of natural areas with known populations. We hope that this ESA listing will act as a wakeup call, This diminutive bee, Hylaeus assimulans, spurring recognition of the critical role is one of seven Hawaiian yellow-faced bee species that are the first bees to be protect- that pollinators such as these play in ed under U.S. federal law. Photograph by ecosystems and the taking of necessary John Kaia, Lahaina Photography. steps to conserve their habitats.

Xerces Supports Implementation of National Pollinator Strategy In May, the White House released the strategy and our pollinator specialists National Strategy to Protect Pollinators and and conservation biologists are now Their Habitat, which identified three pri- working closely with federal agencies as orities: reduce honey bee losses, protect they implement it. Scott Hoffman Black monarch butterflies, and create millions is an ex-officio member of the High of acres of habitat. Thanks to this direc- Level Federal Monarch Working Group tive, pollinator conservation has be- and participates in a U.S. Geological come embedded into the work of every Survey effort to assess monarch popula- federal agency. tions and direct monarch conservation The Xerces Society participated in priorities. meetings with White House staff that Our pollinator program has a long- helped guide creation of the national standing partnership with the Natural

28 WINGS Resources Conservation Service, train- with the Federal Highway Administra- ing agency staff and providing techni- tion to improve roadside management cal support. We are also working with for pollinators (see below). This latter the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to im- work has placed us at the center of the prove knowledge and conservation of I-35 “Monarch Highway” initiative to monarchs in the western United States create monarch habitat in a broad swath (see pages 22–23 for more details) and up the middle of the United States.

Working Together for Pollinator-Friendly Roadsides Pollinators and roadsides might seem partments of transportation and the like an unlikely pairing: roads can frag- roadside restoration experts who work ment habitat, aid in spreading invasive with them. The interviews provided plant species, and contribute to animal documentation of existing roadside mortality. But an immense amount of vegetation management practices and land is dedicated to them, forming a vast feedback about the feasibility of imple- network of linear habitat. Roadsides in menting strategies that can benefit pol- urban and intensely farmed landscapes linators. The best management practices are often the only natural or semi-natu- will be available early in 2016. ral habitat around; for pollinators, they You can find theFHWA literature re- can serve as places to refuel, reproduce, view at http://1.usa.gov/1P2KLBT. or overwinter. (For more on this topic, see the spring 2015 issue of Wings.) The Federal Highway Administra- tion was one of the agencies tasked by the Obama administration with identi- fying conservation approaches to help halt pollinator losses under the national pollinator strategy. The FHWA contract- ed with the Xerces Society and environ- mental consulting company ICF Inter- national to develop best management practices to enhance roadside habitat for pollinators. As part of this project, staff from the Xerces Society and ICF produced a comprehensive review of the technical literature. The review, released in May, included a thorough treatment of the status of pollinators, causes of de- cline, potential mitigation efforts, habi- tat restoration and management for pol- The Xerces Society is taking on a leading linators, and applications to roadsides. role in a nationwide effort to develop best Xerces and ICF International also management practices for roadside habi- conducted interviews with state de- tat. Photograph © dlewis33, iStock.com.

FALL 2015 29 Pollinator Program Launches New Short Course This past summer was the first for the this approach reduces—indeed, in some Xerces Society’s new short course on cases eliminates—the need for insecti- conservation biological control. Our cides. Participants leave with the tools book Farming with Native Beneficial In- necessary to identify and attract benefi- sects was released by Storey Publishing cial insects, assess and restore habitat, in 2014 in response to a growing inter- and implement farm practices to sup- est on farms in promoting beneficial port beneficial insects. insects and their pest-control services. So far, Xerces Society staff have of- This course builds on that momentum. fered the course in four locations: Madi- Intended to educate farmers, agri­ son, Wisconsin; Boone, Iowa; Farming- culture employees, natural resource ton, Minnesota; and Kingston, Rhode specialists, land managers, and conser- Island. More than a hundred people vation organization staff, the course is a have attended. Future efforts will be full-day training that provides attend- even bigger, with a plan to provide the ees with the latest science-based meth- course in at least twenty states over the ods for integrating beneficial insects next three years. Our eventual goal is to back into cropping systems. Ultimately, provide it in all fifty states, and beyond.

Xerces Staff Gather in Portland for Annual Retreat Fall is special for the Xerces Society staff. get together, we thought we’d share a This is when we have our annual strate- pho­tograph of (almost) all thirty-eight gic planning retreat, the one time of the of our current staff members (not pic- year when all of our regional staff mem- tured are Jim Eckberg, Celeste A. ­Searles bers converge in Portland to share ideas Mazza­cano, and Hillary Sardiñas). and learn about the great work that ev- We are grateful for your support—we eryone is doing. Since we don’t often wouldn’t be here without it!

30 WINGS Donor Survey 2015 We want to say a big thank-you to ev- No one else speaks up for invertebrates! eryone who participated in our donor I believe in preserving and restoring our survey this year. We heard back from habitats. more than nine hundred of you, and it was wonderful to learn more about your You support science-based advocacy that conservation interests, how you think helps me to stay current and that I can trust we are doing, and what you think we to inform my work. can improve. Based upon your feedback, We also asked what you thought of we’ve already begun making changes Wings. An overwhelming majority said for the better. You can find a complete that you loved it and nearly half of you summary of the survey results at www. read it from cover to cover. Regarding xerces.org/donorsurvey. the content, some people would like it to We asked why you donate to the be less scientific, some more scientific, Xerces Society, and here are a few of our but the most frequent response was to favorite responses: keep it as it is. We found that most of you You are taking the lead on pollinator conser- rely on Wings for updates on our work, vation! Thank you! with around a third of you reading our e-newsletter or using our website. I love insects. More people should be aware All in all, the survey responses were of these wonderful animals and their role in extremely helpful. Although we have ecosystems. wrapped up this donor survey, your You seem to get a lot of mileage out of not feedback is always welcome, so please much money. do keep in touch. Many thanks!

WINGS, Fall 2015 Volume 38, Number 2 Wings is published twice a year by the Xerces Society, an international, non- profit or­ganization dedicated to protecting the diversity of life through the ­conservation of invertebrates and their habitat. A Xerces Society membership costs $35 per year (tax-deductible) and in­cludes a subscription to Wings. Copyright © 2015 by the Xerces Society. All rights reserved. Xerces Society Exec­utive Director: Scott Hoffman Black; Editors: Scott Hoffman Black, Margo Conner, John Laur­sen, and Matthew Shepherd; Design and ­Production: John Laursen. Printed on recycled paper. For information about membership and our conser­va­tion programs for native pollinators, endangered species, and aquatic invertebrates, contact­ us: THE XERCES SOCIETY FOR INVERTEBRATE CONSERVATION 628 Northeast Broadway, Suite 200, Portland, OR 97232 toll-free 855-232-6639 fax 503-233-6794 [email protected] www.xerces.org

FALL 2015 31 The jagged ambush bug (genus Phymata) is a master of camouflage, typically difficult to see on a flower head. A sit-and-wait predator, it will grab insects visiting the flower with its mantis-like, rapto- rial front legs. Photograph by Bryan E. Reynolds.

THE XERCES SOCIETY FOR INVERTEBRATE CONSERVATION 628 Northeast Broadway, Suite 200, Portland, OR 97232

Board of Directors Scientific Advisors David Frazee Johnson May R. Berenbaum Karen Oberhauser President Paul R. Ehrlich Paul A. Opler Linda Craig Wendell Gilgert Dennis Paulson Treasurer Boris Kondratieff Robert Michael Pyle Sacha Spector Claire Kremen Michael Samways Secretary John Losey Cheryl Schultz Logan Lauvray Thomas Lovejoy Robbin Thorp Marla Spivak Scott E. Miller Paul Williams Gary Paul Nabhan E. O. Wilson Piotr Naskrecki Rachael Winfree

A $35 per year Xerces Society membership includes a subscription to Wings.

On the cover: A bee assassin (genus Apiomerus) hunts for prey on a blanket flower (genus Gaillardia). As its name suggests, this predatory bug will eat bees, as well as yellowjackets, wasps, and any other insects it can catch. It impales its prey with its rostrum (needle-like mouthparts) and then injects digestive fluids. Photograph by Bryan E. Reynolds.