Science Communication

Engaging with people and talking about soil biodiversity is the most rewarding aspect of my career. Below are summaries of a few of my recent SciComm activities - if you have an opportunity you’d like to discuss please feel free to contact me. I also regularly post macrophotography and interesting soil biodiversity facts on my BlueSky, Mastodon, Threads and Instagram accounts, some highlights of which can be found at the bottom of this page.

Media Appearances

Soil Biodiversity talk for EntoL!VE

I was invited to speak about Soil Biodiversity Monitoring in the UK for The Biological Recording Company’s EntoL!VE talk series. The full talk is watchable above or available on YouTube here.

Podcast: Solid Science

Romy and Carlos wanted to chat about the potential of macrophotography in soil ecology research. You can listen to my episode (#12 ‘The Use of Visual Elements in Ecology’) on Spotify here.

Podcast: BBC Earth

I was asked to talk about the extraordinary diversity in soil on the BBC Earth podcast series. You can listen to my episode (Ep. 3 ‘Death’) by clicking here.

ABC Landline

I featured on ABC’s Landline show, where I describe some of the amazing soil animals that I found during my 2023 macrophotography tour of Australia. Episode viewable here.

BBC Breakfast Live

I joined the BBC breakfast live team and television presenter Michaela Strachan at Westonbirt Arboretum to celebrate the Forestry Commission’s centenary. In multiple live appearances throughout the morning, I promoted the importance of biological recording and the role of earthworms in supporting healthy forest ecosystems.

Podcast: Grubbing in the Filth

I was delighted to speak about soil invertebrate ecology and my macrophotography work on the invertebrate-focussed podcast ‘Grubbing in the Filth’. You can listen to my episode by clicking here, and view the photos we discuss here.

ABC Rural News

I featured on ABC’s Rural News, where I describe some of the amazing soil animals that I found during my 2023 macrophotography tour of Australia. News article viewable online here.

Christchurch City Council ‘Newsline’

I was profiled for CCC’s news channel, as part of the coverage for the 2024 iNaturalist event held in the city, for which I was presented with the ‘Inspiring Invertebrate’ award. News article viewable online here.

The New York Times

A number of my photographs were used to support an article in The New York Times, summarising a research paper by Phillip Martin et al. into the effects of climate change on soil fauna. NYT article viewable online here (paywall).

Supporting Scientific Literature

In a scene reminiscent of ‘The Last of Us’, here’s an entomopathogenic (Ophiocordyceps) fungi-infected European wasp (Vespula germanica) I found in NZ bush. Although it’s presumably a terrible way to go, I can’t say I&r
In a scene reminiscent of ‘The Last of Us’, here’s an entomopathogenic (Ophiocordyceps) fungi-infected European wasp (Vespula germanica) I found in NZ bush. Although it’s presumably a terrible way to go, I can’t say I’m too sorry, as these wasps are an introduced pest of major concern in Aotearoa! #Entomology #Fungi #Macrophotography #Nature #NaturePhotography
Did you know that New Zealand and other land masses in the south-west Pacific are home to LEAF-VEINED SLUGS?! Unlike their omnivorous European relatives, these unique leaf-mimicking slugs eat only fungi. They breathe mainly through the skin of the b
Did you know that New Zealand and other land masses in the south-west Pacific are home to LEAF-VEINED SLUGS?! Unlike their omnivorous European relatives, these unique leaf-mimicking slugs eat only fungi. They breathe mainly through the skin of the back, which is kept moist by secretions passing along the many grooves. What amazing creatures! #Macrophotography #SoilEcology #Gastropod #SoilBiodiversity #Nature #NaturePhotography #entomology
Since you all really like Onychophora, here's a Peripatoides - another of NZ's beautiful endemic velvet worms. Unlike the previous post, these little critters give live birth, but that's not the strangest thing about their reproduction. During mati
Since you all really like Onychophora, here's a Peripatoides - another of NZ's beautiful endemic velvet worms. Unlike the previous post, these little critters give live birth, but that's not the strangest thing about their reproduction. During mating, males deposit sperm packages anywhere onto the skin of the female, which then DISSOLVE HOLES in her skin and travel throughout her body. This process has a name as unromantic as the act itself: 'dermal-haemocoelic sperm transfer'. And they say romance is dead. #SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #Entomology #Macrophotography #Nature #NaturePhotography
Last weekend I got to see NZ velvet worms in their native forest habitat. These animals are so bizarre, taxonomists have given them their very own Phylum, alongside tardigrades and ALL arthropods - that's insane! This Ooperipatellus is an egg-laying
Last weekend I got to see NZ velvet worms in their native forest habitat. These animals are so bizarre, taxonomists have given them their very own Phylum, alongside tardigrades and ALL arthropods - that's insane! This Ooperipatellus is an egg-laying species, but there's another genus here in Aotearoa that gives live birth! Mind. Blown. #SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #Entomology #Macrophotography #Nature #NaturePhotography
This leggy arachnid is one of New Zealand's many species of 'Earth Mite' (family Penthaleidae). Some members of this mite family are major global agricultural pests, BUT they do have one redeeming quality... they have DORSAL ANUSES. That's right,
This leggy arachnid is one of New Zealand's many species of 'Earth Mite' (family Penthaleidae). Some members of this mite family are major global agricultural pests, BUT they do have one redeeming quality... they have DORSAL ANUSES. That's right, their bottoms are on their top! #SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #SoilFauna #Acarology #Entomology #Macrophotography #Nature #NaturePhotography
As giant springtails age, they grow more robust and develop longer spikes on their antennae and backs. Nobody knows how long they can live for, probably a few years, but this gnarled Holacanthella duospinosa has all the hallmarks of a long innings!
As giant springtails age, they grow more robust and develop longer spikes on their antennae and backs. Nobody knows how long they can live for, probably a few years, but this gnarled Holacanthella duospinosa has all the hallmarks of a long innings! #SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #SoilFauna #Mesofauna #Macrophotography #Collembola #Entomology #NaturePhotography
This weekend I'll be leading a search for giant springtails up in Motueka with the lovely folks at Friends of Flora. They've promised to throw their weight behind the giant springtail in the NZ Bug of the Year 2025 contest if we're successful, so fi
This weekend I'll be leading a search for giant springtails up in Motueka with the lovely folks at Friends of Flora. They've promised to throw their weight behind the giant springtail in the NZ Bug of the Year 2025 contest if we're successful, so fingers crossed we find loads! I'll of course be taking my camera, so stand by for updates... #SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #SoilFauna #Collembola #bugoftheyear2025 #Entomology #NaturePhotography #Aotearoa
I spend a lot of time doing science communication on how interesting and important soil organisms are, often focusing on the more fascinating-looking creatures like springtails and mites... ...BUT, did you know that earthworms were my gateway soil a
I spend a lot of time doing science communication on how interesting and important soil organisms are, often focusing on the more fascinating-looking creatures like springtails and mites... ...BUT, did you know that earthworms were my gateway soil animal? In fact, I did my PhD on earthworm ecology, and how they can improve damaged soil for growing trees! If you need a little help going to sleep tonight, you can always read my thesis here: https://clok.uclan.ac.uk/16560/ #SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #SoilFauna #Earthworm #SoilScience #Macrophotography
AMAZING SOIL ANIMAL ART ALERT!! Today I received these two beautiful handmade prints by the exceptionally talented Svenja Meyer @sm_artwork_321, showing off the wonderful diversity of springtails and mites. My office is about to get even more soil f
AMAZING SOIL ANIMAL ART ALERT!! Today I received these two beautiful handmade prints by the exceptionally talented Svenja Meyer @sm_artwork_321, showing off the wonderful diversity of springtails and mites. My office is about to get even more soil fauna-themed, if that's even possible! Go check out Svenja's fabulous work at smartwork.bigcartel.com - I'm a big fan of her mugs too! #SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #Entomology #Collembola #Acari #Acarology #NatureArt #InsectArt
I've been posting a lot of springtail-related content lately, so this is a reminder that mites are amazing too! Now I know it's only November, so a little early, but somehow this mite's wardrobe is giving me festive vibes... #Macrophotography #Soi
I've been posting a lot of springtail-related content lately, so this is a reminder that mites are amazing too! Now I know it's only November, so a little early, but somehow this mite's wardrobe is giving me festive vibes... #Macrophotography #SoilBiodiversity #SoilEcology #Entomology #Acarology #Acari #NaturePhotography @cupoty
In a scene reminiscent of ‘The Last of Us’, here’s an entomopathogenic (Ophiocordyceps) fungi-infected European wasp (Vespula germanica) I found in NZ bush. Although it’s presumably a terrible way to go, I can’t say I&r Did you know that New Zealand and other land masses in the south-west Pacific are home to LEAF-VEINED SLUGS?! Unlike their omnivorous European relatives, these unique leaf-mimicking slugs eat only fungi. They breathe mainly through the skin of the b Since you all really like Onychophora, here's a Peripatoides - another of NZ's beautiful endemic velvet worms. Unlike the previous post, these little critters give live birth, but that's not the strangest thing about their reproduction. During mati Last weekend I got to see NZ velvet worms in their native forest habitat. These animals are so bizarre, taxonomists have given them their very own Phylum, alongside tardigrades and ALL arthropods - that's insane! This Ooperipatellus is an egg-laying This leggy arachnid is one of New Zealand's many species of 'Earth Mite' (family Penthaleidae). Some members of this mite family are major global agricultural pests, BUT they do have one redeeming quality... they have DORSAL ANUSES. That's right, As giant springtails age, they grow more robust and develop longer spikes on their antennae and backs. Nobody knows how long they can live for, probably a few years, but this gnarled Holacanthella duospinosa has all the hallmarks of a long innings! This weekend I'll be leading a search for giant springtails up in Motueka with the lovely folks at Friends of Flora. They've promised to throw their weight behind the giant springtail in the NZ Bug of the Year 2025 contest if we're successful, so fi I spend a lot of time doing science communication on how interesting and important soil organisms are, often focusing on the more fascinating-looking creatures like springtails and mites... ...BUT, did you know that earthworms were my gateway soil a AMAZING SOIL ANIMAL ART ALERT!! Today I received these two beautiful handmade prints by the exceptionally talented Svenja Meyer @sm_artwork_321, showing off the wonderful diversity of springtails and mites. My office is about to get even more soil f I've been posting a lot of springtail-related content lately, so this is a reminder that mites are amazing too! Now I know it's only November, so a little early, but somehow this mite's wardrobe is giving me festive vibes... #Macrophotography #Soi