‘A symbol of hope': environmentalists choose their favourite invertebrates

The Guardian

27-03-2025

Invertebrates are hugely important for ecosystems and the general health of our planet and there is a dizzying array of beautiful examples, from fluffy bees to glow-in-the-dark woodlice. But which do you prefer? We asked the great and good on the UK conservation scene to name their favourite invertebrate:
Steve Reed, UK environment secretary
Red admirals are such a beautiful sight on a sunny day in the garden. Sadly we are seeing far fewer butterflies and insects, which is why this government is committed to banning bee-killing pesticides.
Caroline Lucas, former Green leader and MP
My vote goes to the common green grasshopper, because I like the vividness of its green body but mostly because the familiar 'churring' sound they make as they rub their legs against their wings is a sure sign that summer is on its way. The word 'stridulation' is a cool one, too – the name of the grasshopper's song.
Nadia Shaikh, co-director of the Right to Roam campaign
I nominate the green tiger beetle, Cicindela campestris. First, they are so strikingly beautiful: the body of the beetle is iridescent forest green with cream smudges. They also have long shiny legs, which are a sort of aubergine bronze colour. What is perhaps even more worthy of nomination is how they hunt: you'll find green tiger beetles on bare sandy soil looking for other insects, which they will catch in their very large jaws. It's spectacular to watch them running at great speeds along the ground after they've spotted something to eat. They are relatively easy to spot and endlessly exciting to watch dart around on their long legs.
Sadiq Khan, mayor of London
The relationship between Londoners and oysters goes beyond the card for catching the tube. Oysters once kept the working class of London fed, with Victorians eating hundreds of millions a year. They also have an inspiring future, as I saw when I visited New York and the Billion Oyster Project, which is using their natural filter feeding to clean the harbour – an idea with exciting potential for London's waterways.
Craig Bennett, chief executive of the Wildlife Trusts
The humble bumblebee wins out for me for several reasons, not least because they are beautiful and fluffy insects whose appearance effortlessly symbolises the hope of spring and vibrancy of summer.
But they're not just here to look nice. They play a vital role as ambassadors for the important ecosystem services that nature provides and humanity replies upon – in this case, pollination.
For many children, especially in urban areas, bumblebees are one of the first connections they make to nature and the beginnings of an awareness of the importance of nature for our survival. And I love that everyone can experience them, whether in towns, cities, the coast or the countryside.
Whenever I see one, to me they also symbolise the huge threats to nature we're facing. The loss of habitat and overuse of pesticides continues to be incredibly damaging to bees. Now that the government has promised to ban one group of these toxic pesticides – neonicotinoids – I'm looking forward to seeing bumblebees this year as a symbol of a hope after a hard-fought and recently won campaign, but also a reminder of how much more we have to do.
Mary Creagh, UK environment minister
The ladybird is a the best sort of superbug – chomping through the aphids on my fruit trees and inspiring generations of children through poetry. My only grumble is that they love having their babies in my bathroom, which can lead to some close encounters in spring!
Tony Juniper, chair of Natural England
The small tortoiseshell. Their orange, black and white wings, fringed with blue dots, bring a bright splash of exotic colour to spring and summer. They are sadly no longer common, with numbers now at an all-time low.
Guy Shrubsole, author and nature campaigner
I think I'd have to go with the blue ground beetle, an icon of Britain's temperate rainforests and devourer of slugs. I've only seen this species once, on a moonless night around midnight, in a damp and dripping Atlantic oakwood on the banks of the River Dart. They're surprisingly large, iridescent indigo-blue and scuttle up and down tree trunks in search of their prey.
Beccy Speight, chief executive of the RSPB
In the cloud forests of Saint Helena, a UK Overseas Territory in the middle of the South Atlantic, the spiky yellow woodlouse has a party trick: when the UV lights show, they literally glow, the only woodlouse of record to have this reaction. But they're not the only incredible creature on Saint Helena: the island is also home to 250 other unusual species which live nowhere else on Earth. The RSPB has been involved in conservation on this magical island since 2018, working with the island community and partners on a plan to save and restore the vital cloud forest.
Prof Dave Goulson, expert in invertebrates
I have to go for the hairy-footed flower bee, Anthophora plumipes. Seeing these lovely fluffy bees zipping about the garden is one of the highlights of springtime. The jet-black females are most interested in drinking nectar from lungwort and grape hyacinth, while the rusty-brown males have eyes only for the girls, chasing off rival males and defending patches of flowers that females might visit. Courtship involves the male grabbing clumsily at the female either mid-air or while she feeds on a flower. He then tries to make up for his gauche behaviour by gently brushing her face seductively with his hairy feet. These are solitary bees, only on the wing for a few weeks in April and May.
Between 24 March and 2 April, we will be profiling a shortlist of 10 of the invertebrates chosen by readers and selected by our wildlife writers from more than 2,500 nominations. The voting for our 2025 invertebrate of the year will run from midday on Wednesday 2 April until midday on Friday 4 April, with the winner to be announced on Monday 7. Read the other wonderful nominations here.