Incredibly Important Invertebrates

They may not have backbones, but invertebrates are the unsung heroes of the natural world, shaping landscapes, driving ecosystems, and even influencing the behaviour of top predators.

In this episode, we journey into their fascinating and often overlooked world. We explore how termites engineer entire ecosystems, how ant behaviour can influence lion hunting patterns, and why a specific rainforest bee is the key to every Brazil nut you’ve ever eaten.

While many invertebrates are now in decline, it's not all bad news. We share some hopeful conservation stories, organisations working hard to protect our invertebrate populations, and highlight simple ways we can all help support these vital animals.

Researching this episode took us down all sorts of unexpected rabbit holes, something you’ll definitely hear reflected in the conversation.

We hope you enjoy listening What’s your favourite invertebrate fact, story, or encounter? Come share it with us over on Instagram. We’d love to hear from you @thebirdybugpod.

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Links

'We cannot survive without insects' – DW – 06/22/2018

How loud is YOUR penis?! The waterboatman and his mighty member!

Stream Lesser Water Boatman, the loudest underwater insect by terranova | Listen online for free on SoundCloud

Figs & Wasps | How Are Figs Pollinated? | FoodUnfolded

Letting grass grow long boosts butterfly numbers, UK study proves | Butterflies | The Guardian

Ecological feedbacks. Termite mounds can increase the robustness of dryland ecosystems to climatic change - PubMed