In Episode 38 of The Seed Pod, guest Julia Palmer and I take a deep dive into the wild and wonderful world of invertebrates. We nerd out over bug fieldwork, common misconceptions, the vital roles they play, and how species ID doesn't have to be daunting. Julia shares stories from her after-dark mountain adventures, her time exploring the Sub-Antarctic Islands, and how iNaturalist and nature clubs foster community and connection. We also chat about photography, fascinating species interactions, and why observing who’s hanging out with whom can reveal more than searching for the bugs sometimes... and how parasitic worms can hypnotise spiders?! You don’t want to miss this one.

In Episode 37 of The Seed Pod, guest Vitor Velez (@theheadlessketcher) and I dive deep into his unique nature art style that blends scientific drawing and nature journaling. We discuss adventures, sources of inspiration, nature observation, fascinating facts, the finer details, colours, layers and style, and how outside of the page is one of the most important parts of any drawing. We also share in our love for native birds of Aotearoa and the unique ecological context present.

In Episode 36 of The Seed Pod, guest Abby Patterson and I kōrero/chat about conservation and advocacy through online science communication, her alphabet elevator pitches, wellbeing and nature connection, the overcomplication of climate action leading to disengaged citizens... and we reminisce about birthday parties as children.