Dave Goulson

Insects represent the overwhelming majority of animal species on earth, likely accounting for up to 90% of the animal diversity of our planet. They also power many of our ecosystems; acting as pollinators, waste disposal and pest control. Insects are so vital to our daily lives that esteemed American biologist E.O. Wilson famously declared that without them nearly all terrestrial life would die out, including the entirety of the human race. We are now facing the reality of a world without these vital creatures, with some field studies showing a 77% decline of insect species diversity in just over 25 years.

Dave Goulson, founder of The Bumblebee Conservation Trust and Professor of Biology at Sussex University, has an irresistible passion for insects. Loved for his wonderfully charming books A Sting in the Tale, Buzz in the Meadow and Bee Quest, he is perhaps the most prominent expert and champion of bumblebees, and their fellow insect species, in the country. In Silent Earth, David draws on his own research and that of his fellow experts to vividly illustrate the severity of threat that faces insects today. He will visit Bath to talk about what we can do to avoid losing these fascinating, wondrous animals.

Please note, this event is now taking place in Christ Church on Julian Road, which is less than a 10 minute walk from the bookshop.