Jonathan Guthrie’s Nature Therapy columns

More from this Series

• Will beavers be eager for London life?

  Surplus Scottish rodents are to be rehomed in Ealing this autumn, where it is hoped they can help restore an ecosystem

  
• How swifts and swallows connect us to the seasons — and our communities

  You know winter is over when these birds arrive after a 6,000-mile flight from Africa. But we could be doing more to welcome them

  
• Hunting trophies do not furnish a room

  As a number of countries introduce bans, our columnist reflects on the fate of his inherited stuffed owl, Edwardian ostrich egg and monster pike

  
• Squirrel squabble: could a new player tip the odds between reds and greys?

  Scientists say an increase in pine martens could spur a red squirrel comeback in the UK

  
• The marvels of migrating birds

  V formations and murmurations are majestic sights and models of co-operation — just don’t use them as a workplace metaphor

  
• The joys of bad nature photography

  Digital democratisation is welcome, but the clever tweakery of editing software has its drawbacks

  
• Why Fido is not a wolf in dog’s clothing

  ‘My own belief that wolves and dogs are separated only by a thin varnish of domestication crumbled recently. I have Seamus to thank for that’

  
• Why robins don’t deserve their thuggish reputation

  That fluffy robin in your garden needs to be as hard as nails — but is he really a killer?

  
• Looking for love on the web — it’s mating season for spiders

  Autumn gardens are full of their shiny, sticky webs. Whether they fascinate or frighten, spiders loom large in the human psyche

  
• Only collect: a great time of year to encourage budding naturalists

  Children love gathering fossils and shells on a beach or pine cones and conkers in woodland

  
• The elegance of the dragonfly

  The heatwave has been unkind to wetland life, but the spectacle of this creature still brings an inescapable frisson

  
• Our £135bn debt to the humble bee

  If given a monetary value, its contribution to our wellbeing would be hefty

  
• ‘I cannot wait to see bison roaming through Kent woodland’

  Europe’s largest land mammal, weighing some 1,000kg, may be reintroduced in the name of rewilding

  
• Slime against humanity: snails and slugs are the gardener’s scourge

  But control them in an environmentally friendly way — and acknowledge that molluscs also have their merits

  
• Can you spot the peregrine falcons nesting in our skyscrapers?

  The fastest animal on the planet is a challenging house guest, pooping profusely and shrieking like a banshee

  
• How the heron heralded the modern conservation movement

  Both the RSPB and Audubon Society owe much to the women who campaigned against the wild bird plumage trade in the 19th century

  
• Gardeners’ challenge: let’s go peat-free by 2023

  Bringing out the best in your plants needn’t involve degrading essential carbon sinks — and don’t forget the value of worms

  
• Why birdwatching is better than binge-watching

  While humans have been grounded, migrating birds wintering in Britain carry incredible stories from far and wide

  
• Enraptured by raptors: the return of birds of prey

  The resurgence of these splendid creatures is heartening — just don’t throw them scraps from your turkey dinner

  
• ‘There’s a tree for everyone in this world’

  From tiny seedlings to great oaks, they can lift our spirits. Plant them, climb them, bathe with them

  
• Bats are for life, not just for Halloween

  They may recall a certain bloodthirsty Transylvanian but they are impressive creatures that keep the nocturnal biosphere buzzing

  
• The scyther of suburbia: in the footsteps of Poldark and Tolstoy

  The tool from our romantic agrarian past is quiet, satisfying and good exercise, if you learn to use it properly

  
• The everyday miracle of a bird in flight

  ‘A bird in flight recurs as a metaphor for the freedom of the spirit from the writings of The Venerable Bede to the movie Blade Runner’

  
• Unleash the ladybirds of war — controlling garden pests the natural way

  Stop using chemical sprays, powders and pellets and let insects do the job for you

  
• Lessons from a lepidopterist

  The metamorphosis of the butterfly is a wonder of the natural world and a metaphor for personal transformation

  
• How I learnt to love the urban fox

  Relationships with this mercurial creature can be fraught, but the way it has adapted to survive in our cities is admirable

  
• Partners in slime: how toads and frogs help us keep the planet healthy

  Attracting amphibians to your garden can help counter their global decline and reawaken a childlike joy in nature

  
• Making a home for nature is harder than you think

  We try to coax wildlife into our gardens — but it does not always appreciate the accommodation we propose

  
• How I learnt to love city parakeets

  The birds are certainly noisy but their dexterity and colour brighten the gloomiest day

  
• The pet snake? It’s my emotional support animal

  The prejudices of ‘Snakes on a Plane’ mean that mine will never fly United Airlines with me