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.

In Episode 34 of The Seed Pod, Julie and I kōrero about all things conservation dogs and biosecurity in Aotearoa/New Zealand, including the rigorous training and testing required to become a conservation dog, what it's like working with a dog day-to-day, the biosecurity work they have taken part in, some great success stories, and her dreams for conservation here in Aotearoa.

In Episode 33 of The Seed Pod, Benji and I have a kōrero about the earth sciences, volcanology and geology field trips, submarine volcanoes (underwater volcanology), youth engagement, developing pro-environmental behaviours, storytelling, mātauranga māori, policy development, collaboration and more!

In Episode 32 we have collected together kōrero/stories from a range of incredible people in the community who take part in sports similar to those seen in the 2024 Paris Olympics. These sports showcase a diversity of opportunities for building mind and body connection as well as connection to the environment, places, people and identity.

Ngā mihi nui/Thank you very much to our contributors:

- Hana Tapiata (Amora ofa'ai/Tahitian Rock Lifting)

- Jaeda Ala’alatoa-Dale (Archery)

- Jess Lamb (Trail Ultramarathon Running)

- Hannah Thomas (Canoe Slalom)

- Ella Walmsley (Mountain Biking)

- Lisa Chahine (Equestrian)

- Brenda Lawson (Rowing)

- Jono Kidson (Sailing)

- Angus & Sian Crowley (Sport Climbing)

- Sian Crowley (Target Shooting)

- Alice McCullough (Surfing)

In Episode 31 of The Seed Pod, we have a kōrero with guest Anthea Ibell about her incredible scuba diving experiences including her love for sharks and her conservation work overseas with sea turtles and community education! Anthea is a sustainable business founder/owner with several businesses which tackle waste reduction and advocacy utilising plastic 'waste' to create beautiful products, and breaking into the toy industry! She talks about her experiences in business, and some of the challenges, as well as her parenting experiences through nature connection.