In November 2025, the Xerces community lost a long-time member with the passing of Carol Knapp, of Newcastle, Maine. Carol included the Xerces Society in her will and not only will her gesture benefit Xerces and the invertebrates we protect, but through this gift, Carol gave her family so much more. She gifted them her core values, and her last message is that conservation can’t wait. Her grandson Andrew Gioannetti shares their story:
"My Grandma, Carol Knapp, was a lifelong lover of nature. She shared her passion and knowledge of the natural world through her many years as an environmental educator and veterinary technician, and as a mother and grandmother. Some of my earliest memories of her are of turning over logs in the front yard of her cabin on a lake in Maine to see the woodlice, earwigs, and earthworms hidden underneath. When she came to visit my family in Tucson we would go out to the compost pile to look at all the critters that called it home. I remember one time Grandma was very excited to see a cockroach. For many years thereafter, I couldn’t understand why people thought they were so gross!
"Grandma taught me that no creature had too many legs or lived in too dark or damp a place to be loved. These “creepy crawlies” were in fact the base of the ecosystem all around us. Without them we wouldn’t have the colorful birds coming to the feeder, the trees towering overhead, the frogs croaking at night, or the tasty mushrooms we found during walks in the woods. If you observed them closely enough, you would discover they lived fascinating, complex lives. Grandma supported the ecosystem around her with beautiful native plant gardens and tireless advocacy. Her endless wonder and appreciation for the world around us is the most precious gift she ever gave me."
Carol’s generosity, curiosity, and appreciation for the living world will be remembered by all who knew her. Thank you, Carol.
