Awful Creatures

Meet the British animals we tend to ignore – and discover why they matter more than we think. From midge clouds and riverside bat walks to slug-slick gardens and wasps’ nests in the eaves, Awful Creatures follows writer Saskia McCracken as she seeks out the British animals we dismiss, shun or quietly resent. Travelling across the country, she encounters species often dismissed as pests – midges, slugs, wasps, toads, pigeons, ravens and jellyfish – and asks what changes when we look at them with curiosity rather than discomfort. Their stories reveal the surprising ways these creatures shape our landscapes: midges holding grazing in check, pigeons enriching soils, ravens helping forests spread, and jellyfish flourishing as the seas warm. Blending travel writing with natural and cultural history, McCracken explores how these species connect our lives with wider ecological change, and what they tell us about shifting public attitudes, folklore and the future of Britain’s wildlife.