Humans have learned to fear ‘bugs’, but we shouldn’t – life as we know it hinges on invertebrates | Chris Packham

Why This Matters

Key context: <p>At this point of the crisis in our relations with the natural world, we’ve got to protect these creatures – and we are running out of time</p><ul><li><p>Read more from the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/series/invertebrate-of-the-year-2026">Guardian’s invertebrate of the year 2026</a></p></li></ul><p>Too many animals are regarded as “bugs”. And, if anything is a bug, it is a short step to it becoming a “pest”. Too many of us have a learned fear – it’s not innate – of anything with six legs or antennae.</p><p>I’m a big fan of the invertebrates and I love the Guardian’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/series/invertebrate-of-the-year-2026">invertebrate of the year</a> competition because it focuses people’s attention on the little things rather than the typical animal superstars – the pandas, tigers and orangutans. In their diversity and varied ecology, the million-plus invertebrates on our planet often lead far more intricate and interesting lives than large animals with spines, like us. We urgently need to generate a much broader awareness of their beauty and importance. All these small creatures are as integral a part of our ecosystems as the fluffy things that we may want to put on our calendars.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2026/aug/20/humans-bugs-invertebrates-of-the-year-natural-world-chris-packham">Continue reading...</a> This development from The Guardian highlights ongoing changes in the sector.