This month, Naturehood has been celebrating insects, exploring the amazing diversity of this group which numbers around 24,000 currently identified species. Insects are critical to functioning ecosystems, and part of this role is within the food chain, as a vital source of protein (yum!). Let’s do a deep dive into some of the species that healthy insect populations help to support. 

In the UK it is estimated that a staggering one in every three mouthfuls of food depends on pollination. Pollination is an essential process for many staples of our veg gardens and supermarket trips, including apples, tomatoes, potatoes and strawberries. Added to this, many other native plants, such as wildflowers, trees and shrubs, are also reliant on pollinators.

When we think about pollinators, often what will come to mind are bees and butterflies, maybe moths as well, but these aren’t the only insects with a claim to the name.

In our mission to understand how Nature-based solutions (NBS) can be used to build more resilient cities, PhD student Nerea Ferrando, from the University of Reading and Earthwatch, has been investigating the world beneath our feet. Researching how the soil fauna, is a vital part of the equation.

Image: Researcher (Nerea Ferrando) from the University of Reading identifying soil mesofauna (Zhang, Y., 2019. [photograph]).

As lockdown eases and ‘the Class of Covid-19’ adjust their higher education and employment plans, Earthwatch Europe’s Community Engagement Officer, Chloe Dalglish, lays out five ways volunteering with wildlife project Naturehood could boost essential skills for young people.