Minibeasts, or invertebrates as conservationists prefer to call them, are the most successful creatures on earth – in fact, they’ve been around before dinosaurs roamed the earth! That in itself makes them pretty cool but add to that the fantastic jobs they do in our eco system, from pollinating our crops so that we can enjoy our favourite breakfast cereal to being a food source themselves for creatures higher up the food chain, we think you are going to love finding out more about them.

Did you know.... some caterpillars can grow 10,000 times bigger in just a few weeks, and there's a parasitic wasp that lays its eggs inside a spider? Fascinating or gross - you decide?!

Check out this interesting article ‘How long do insects live?’ and learn who lives for 24 hours and who can live for up to 50 years! Or, how about finding out about five of the UK’s weirdest beetles and giving your friends and family a run-down of some strange but true facts.

Go On A Garden Safari

If this brief introduction has made you want to delve into the world of minibeasts a little further, then check out this brilliant article ‘A Garden Safari to Help Insects Thrive’ by guest writer, Gail Ashton.

Gail is a photographer and writer with a passion for entomology - in other words the study of insects – and here she’s showing us how we can help the insects in our own habitats.

Our gardens, balconies and homes can house a fascinating world of minibeasts and we can help them with some simple actions, like growing some of their favourite plants or herbs, creating a deadwood habitat or providing water to attract certain species. Think of it as your own nature reserve – you too could develop a passion for entomology just like Gail! Find out how to make a bug mansion or log shelter with our step-by-step guides.

Get Out and About!

Looking for ideas for a summer outing with the family? You could consider registering for our Bug Hunt at Purwell Ninesprings on 2 August. You’ll get a chance to see what you can find in the grasslands by trying your hand at sweep netting – an activity where you can capture insects, spiders and other bugs and where help is on hand to identify them.

You might notice that minibeasts often find themselves splatted on cars, particularly if you do a long journey. Many of us in the conservation world are concerned because we are seeing less splats than we used to so it means there are less insects flying around. We’re encouraging as many people as possible to take part in the Bug’s Matter citizen science campaign and record the number of splats that they get on a journey. Take part in this fun and useful activity and contribute to the research by signing-up here.

Become a Minibeast Detective

You can be a minibeast detective with this spotter sheet – look on the ground, under wood or stones, in the undergrowth, on leaves, in the air and we bet it won’t be long before you’ve ticked off a fair few! Or if ladybirds hold a special fascination for you, try our ladybird spotter sheet – count those spots carefully to work out what species it is!

Coming up

Next week we’ll be looking at the wonder of wetlands and finding out more ways to have wild (and wet) fun this summer holiday.

And finally…

Above all, we want you to stay safe and enjoy the great outdoors and all it has to offer. To help you do that, we’ve produced this blog ‘Stay Safe in Hot Weather’ –  with advice on water safety and fire safety, as well as tips for your own personal safety and comfort.

Why not keep a record of all your school summer holiday activities? We’d love to see what you get up to so please do share your stories, photos and creations with us on social media. You’ll find us at @hertswildlifetrust on Instagram and Facebook and @HMWTBadger on Twitter.