Grubbing In The Filth: An Invertebrate Podcast

What's it like to live with between 300 and 400 spiders? In this episode, we think about the relationships that exist between people and spiders, discovering what it's like to care for and value these creatures which are so contentious to the general public. Tom chats with Tea Francis, spider-person, spider-advocate, spider-keeper, to learn how to care for spiders, and to gain a fresh pe...

In this episode, we take a critical look at the relationships which we have built with invertebrates. What is it that makes invertebrates frightening and disgusting to so many, yet completely fascinating to others? Tom is joined by Jeffrey Lockwood, author of 'The Infested Mind', to question whether fear of invertebrates is a cultural phenomenon, or something built into the human psyche....

The woodlouse is an familiar, unobstrusive little creature - dull, grey and unassuming. What if we defy that expectation? In this episode we lift up a log, and enter the incredible world of the woodlouse. Tom chats with scientist Eleanor Drinkwater about her research in the field of woodlouse personality, as well as woodlouse diversity, the challenges faced by terrestial crustaceans and a great de...

Note the inverted commas, pincer-like, around the title. In this episode, we discuss 'crabs' - the various animals that end up under the 'crab' umbrella. Tom chats 'crabs' with Mark Losavio, diver, eduactor and marine biologist. We talk all things crab, and also discuss working in aquariums, teaching children about the ocean, and Mark shares his perspective on being a...

Octopus, squid, cuttlefish and nautilus. In this episode, we immerse ourselves in the bizarre and wonderful world of the cephalopods. Tom is joined by Nemo, scientist, science communicator and krakenologist, to discuss these remarkable molluscs. We chat about cephalopod diversity, cephalopod intelligence, cephalopod senses and so much more. We also examine what cephalopods have meant to humans, fr...

Spiders are animals of great cultural heft - divisive and evocative. In this episode, we largely eschew this - and instead, give the spiders a chance to just be spiders. Lets worry later about how we feel about spiders, and instead think about what a spider is, and how spiders live. Tom is joined by Professor Mariella Herberstien, behavioural ecologist, arachnologist and Eurovision Song Contest de...

Ovid's 'Metamorphoses' begins, 'I intend to speak of forms changed into new entities'.  In this podcast, we do just that. In this episode, we learn about insect metamorphosis, how it occurs, and how we as humans relate to this strange process. Tom speaks with Connor Butler, scientist and ecologist, about insect transformation and lifecycles, with particular focus on Dung B...

Another buzzing episode. In this episode, Tom speaks with entomologist Charlotte Alberts about Assassin flies, and about flies more broadly. We learn all about the intruiging, deadly world of the Assassin Flies, what defines them and how they live, whilst also touching on the fly order (diptera) more broadly. As well as learning about flies as animals, we also consider the fraught nature of our re...

Cockroaches are not well liked. They have become symbols of dillapidation and decay. In this episode, we will see what we can learn about  cockroaches, when we give ourselves permission to be fascinated by them. Tom speaks with Professor Dominic Evangelista, a cockroach expert, to learn more about these harshly-judged animals. We also speak about EntoPOC, a fantastic initiative which Dominic is a...

Oh, we do like to be beside the seaside. In this episode, Tom speaks with Elizabeth Mills of Marine Mumbles about her passion for rockpooling, and the animals that can be found at the shore. We discuss an incredible range of creatures, from seaside favourites like crabs and barnacles, to the less familiar...

What is flying ant day? What are they up to ? In this episode, Tom is joined by Miles Maxcer, myrmecologist and director of The Ant Network to discuss the phenomenon of Flying Ant Day, and the fascinating science behind it. We discuss the life cycle of an ant colony, and look at some of the  ways different species of ant found and develop their colonies.  

What we talk about when we talk about bugs. What is a bug? What is it really ? In this first episode, Tom chats with Professor Colin Favret about the true bugs (the hemiptera). Learn what defines the true bugs, the etymology of the word bug, and about the lives of aphids, pond skaters, bed bugs and more. 

If it lacks a backbone, we're interested. In this podcast, we are exploring the world of invertebrates, discovering the amazing lives they lead, and thinking carefully about our relationhips with these much-maligned creatures. With the help of experts, we are lifting stones, peering into the water and grubbing in the filth.  Written and produced by Tom Sharpe Music by Will Hatton Artwork by W...