I'm answering questions live online about the Guardian's brilliant Invertebrate of the Year contest (Shortlist of 10 being revealed over the next week). Feel free to ask any questions (not hard ones though, I'm not an expert) or share the invertebrate love here! www.theguardian.com/community/li...

Reader Q&A: Our natural history writer Patrick Barkham is answering your questions on invertebrates – live

This week, we launched our third annual vote to honour nature’s unsung heroes. The Guardian’s natural history writer – and woodlouse fanboy – Patrick Barkham is now answering your questions

theguardian.com

Great piece by Ben Goldsmith in one of the most important places for this debate to be heard. spectator.com/article/rewi...

Rewilding is the best defence against wildfires

Rewilding is not the cause of Britain's worsening upland wildfires. Increasingly, it looks like one of the most promising solutions.

spectator.com

Over the next week, we're revealing the 10 amazing animals shortlisted for Invertebrate of the Year 2026. Then, from a week tomorrow, you'll be able to vote. @chrisgpackham.bsky.social will announce the winner on August 18th. www.theguardian.com/environment/... Woodlouse is a popular opener!

Revealed: the top 10 invertebrates of the year

At last! It’s time for our invertebrate of the year competition as voted for by you. Today, the immortal jellyfish – come back on Wednesday to find out who else made the top 10

theguardian.com

It was a real honour to appear on Martha Kearney's BBCR4 This Natural Life, and lovely to have a programme from Norfolk Wildlife Trust's fantastic Foxley Wood www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

This Natural Life - Patrick Barkham - BBC Sounds

The nature writer takes Martha Kearney butterfly-spotting in Foxley Wood, Norfolk.

bbc.co.uk

I recommend North Norfolk Festival of Literature & Landscape if anyone fancies a visit to this glorious coast in Oct – I'll be interviewing Nick Crane and Mark Cocker about their new books. Lovely festival, guided nature walks and the BEST time for birds literatureandlandscape.org/events-2026/

Events 2026

Our 2026 programme of talks and readings, walks and field trips… Online bookings via the button links below are now live. You will also find our festival events on the Wells Maltings booking …

literatureandlandscape.org

Rest in peace Bill Oddie, the first celebrity birder. Interesting obituary here: www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...

Reposting in case anyone missed this tour of the amazing Wakelyns pioneering agroforestry farm and community hub – they are doing well with their fundraiser to become community benefit society but still need more support!

The Guardian@theguardian.com · last mo.

‘Living laboratory’: Suffolk agroforestry farm seeks community ownership to survive

Many congratulations to all those involved with the SAVE WHITEWEBBS campaign. They've won at the High Court. See their Insta post for full details. Many people have worked so hard against all odds. Amazing achievement @savebutterflies.bsky.social @patrickbarkham.bsky.social @malcolmhull.bsky.social

Just seen Bure Valley steam train chugging merrily off through fields of tinder-dry wheat, powered by an open coal fire! WAKE UP government! We need Fire Risk Days with clear rules – temporary bans on disposable BBQs, open fires, steam trains etc. We must adapt. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

UK in ‘firewave’ as extreme heat provides ideal conditions for wildfires, experts warn

National Fire Chiefs Council say emergency services dealing with 19 wildfires across Britain, many near urban areas

theguardian.com

Sad to hear of Sam Neill's death. I spent a few days with him in New Zealand back in 2002 on a jammy journalistic assignment to write about his pinot noir. He was witty & down-to-earth, a real gent. Also remember a very fun night out in Queenstown with his staff! www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Les vins de Sam

What is it with movie types and their wine? First Chateau Coppolla and now Sam Neill who, when not acting, can be found down on the farm in New Zealand quaffing bottles of his own Pinot Noir.

theguardian.com

What are the early years of a rewilding project really like? I've been lucky enough to spend 4 years following progress at Boothby Wildland and I've written a long read about it here: www.theguardian.com/news/2026/ju...

‘It makes your heart sing’: can a pioneering project show that rewilding really works?

The long read: Intensive farming has all but destroyed England’s ancient woodlands and freshwater wetlands. On a farm in Lincolnshire a radical aristocrat hopes to show there’s money in protecting nat...

theguardian.com

There's still time to nominate your Invertebrate of the Year 2026 (and here's a little celebration of tardigrade hunting at the fabulous @sangerinstitute.bsky.social ...) www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Hunting the tardigrade: one small step in sequencing DNA of all life on Earth

As this year’s invertebrate of the year competition launches, we join scientists studying last year’s winner

theguardian.com

If you need a writers' retreat, a readers' retreat or just a seaside retreat, amazingly our beautiful tiny cottage in the best place in the world (Wells!) is available for a week from this Friday 10th. Book with Lisa direct for last-minute sunshine-joy-bargain. www.glavenvalley.co.uk/holiday-cott...

1 Boatman's Row in Wells-next-the-Sea - Book Now | Glaven Valley

1 Boatman's Row in Wells-next-the-Sea is a 1 bed property for up to 2 guests. Book direct through Glaven Valley today for the best price!

glavenvalley.co.uk

🪰🪲🐜 Nominate your invertebrate of the year 🐛🕷️🦐 🪳🐝🦋 We’re asking people from around the world to nominate their favourite spineless species for our third Invertebrate of the Year competition 🦞 🦟🐞 🪱 @patrickbarkham.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Nominate your invertebrate of the year

We’re asking people from around the world to nominate their favourite spineless species for our third Invertebrate of the Year competition

theguardian.com

I was very pleased the tardigrade/moss piglet/water bear won #invertebrateoftheyear last year. Now what do i nominate this year? Great piece by @patrickbarkham.bsky.social @theguardian.com www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Hunting the tardigrade: one small step in sequencing DNA of all life on Earth

As this year’s invertebrate of the year competition launches, we join scientists studying last year’s winner

theguardian.com

@patrickbarkham.bsky.social explains the genetic work on the British Swallowtail that SBBT has recently published with our partners in Montpellier University. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

British swallowtail split from European cousins much earlier than thought, study finds

Finding that Norfolk butterfly has been distinct subspecies for 200,000 years could transform conservation approach

theguardian.com

Nominate your Invertebrate of the Year! We love this at the Guardian and always receive loads of amazing nominations from around the world. Please join in here (I will be reading all submissions and choosing the shortlist of 10) www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Nominate your invertebrate of the year

We’re asking people from around the world to nominate their favourite spineless species for our third Invertebrate of the Year competition

theguardian.com

Always loved hollyhocks. Finally got them rampaging all over my garden.

I've been busying around so much I am very late to read and post Anita Roy's wonderful @theguardian.com Country Diary about David Nash's Ash Dome. If you missed it too, please follow this link... www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Country diary: For the beloved Ash Dome, death is not the end | Anita Roy

Blaenau Ffestiniog, Gwynedd: This living sculpture, planted in the 1970s ‘for the 21st century’, is fading fast. But heartbreak is not the only response

theguardian.com

I love dogs and butterflies and thankfully there’s very little conflict between them. It’s a brilliant butterfly summer. Ok, so we have low baselines but I’ve never before seen so many meadow browns in my long grass garden here (10). And a huge UK emergence of peacock and painted lady incoming!

Wakelyns is one of those places that you visit and then tell everyone about. It's totally inspiring, full of people working on the land, turtle doves, and an incredible contrast to the industrial farming that surrounds it. Now it needs members! www.theguardian.com/environment/...

‘Doves and food and fun’: the fight to save a farming pioneer

Wakelyns needs £1.2m to save its diverse organic crops and ‘micro’ enterprises including a bakery and honeybee hives

theguardian.com

Wakelyns is one of those places that you visit and then tell everyone about. It's totally inspiring, full of people working on the land, turtle doves, and an incredible contrast to the industrial farming that surrounds it. Now it needs members! www.theguardian.com/environment/...

‘Doves and food and fun’: the fight to save a farming pioneer

Wakelyns needs £1.2m to save its diverse organic crops and ‘micro’ enterprises including a bakery and honeybee hives

theguardian.com

Swift Awareness Week everyone! Swifts making themselves wonderfully aware in my heatwave skies atm. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Migrating swifts loyally return every year to nests in buildings, study finds

Conservationists emphasise importance of protecting nesting sites used by ‘strongly faithful’ red-listed species

theguardian.com

Wonderful article by @patrickbarkham.bsky.social ft. our research with the people of #RiverTone. Over a periods of weeks, they worked deeply with five nonhuman animals - stepping into their world - to reveal risks we had never considered before. www.theguardian.com/environment/... @asranetwork.org

‘Emotional and horrific’: volunteers ‘live’ as Somerset animals to study wildlife risks

People trained to experience world as otters, salmon and other River Tone creatures for pioneering research

theguardian.com

Spot the Swallowtail!

Loved interviewing Robin. A fantastic cause. Hope he’s coping ok on the Thames in this great heat! www.theguardian.com/environment/...

‘I’m 90 for goodness sake’: rainforest activist to pedal 104 miles down Thames

Veteran campaigner Robin Hanbury-Tenison is raising money for a research station near his home in Cornwall

theguardian.com

Very moving to see the Major oak yesterday. @rspb.bsky.social doing a great job of maintaining its vital deadwood habitat. We're awkward about spiritual stuff but how about a memorial celebration, with songs/dancing/appreciation? Be allowed to touch it, thank it. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

‘Most famous tree in the world’: Sherwood Forest’s 1,000-year-old Major oak dies

Nottinghamshire tree, one of Europe’s oldest and largest, fails to produce leaves after being stressed by series of hot, dry summers

theguardian.com

Dear Bluesky folk, What are your favourite nature-quest non-fiction books? I'm writing a piece about this peculiar sub-genre. My own The Butterfly Isles is one but there's also Much Ado About Mothing, The Orchid Hunter, Orchid Summer, Chasing the Ghost. There must be loads of others I'm missing!

Despite the summer showers, these beauties are out and about at the slightest flash of sun. I’m leading more Swallowtail tours tomorrow and Wednesday and there may still be a place left on Weds for any lastminute fairy-folk! @greenwingstours.bsky.social