Award-winning wildlife presenter Brett Westwood explores our relationship with fish and invertebrates, and their impact on human culture and society.

Throughout the ages, human beings have had a profound fascination with the natural world. It has influenced all aspects of our civilisation, from science and religion to music, art, literature and film. These 12 episodes, taken from Radio 4's epic series Natural Histories, find presenter Brett Westwood exploring two major groups of animals - fish, who have lived on Earth for over 450 million years, and invertebrates, who make up 97 percent of all species worldwide - to find out how our perception and representation of them has changed over time.

Beginning with one of our most iconic predators, he dives into the world of sharks, showing how Jaws gave them a reputation as fearsome killers - and signed the death warrant for millions of their number. Brett also meets the closest thing to an alien lifeform: an octopus, discovering how the sea monster of historical myth is now emerging as an animal worthy of respect and understanding. Plus, he goes in search of the obscure burbot, Britain's forgotten freshwater fish; looks at the rise and demise of the flea circus; and explains why we have eulogised the butterfly from time immemorial. Meanwhile, author Lia Leendertz uncovers the story of bees, looking at ancient Greek poetry, Victorian moral allegory, and the laws and superstitions around beekeeping...

Taking in documentary, biography and fiction, these riveting programmes will delight, surprise and amaze. You'll never look at fish and invertebrates in the same way again...

Production credits

Presented by Brett Westwood with Lia Leendertz (Bee)

Produced in partnership with the Natural History Museum, London

Producers: Sarah Blunt, Andrew Dawes, Beth O'Dea, Sarah Pitt, Maggie Ayre, Tom Bonnett

Series producer: Mary Colwell

Episode guide

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 on the following dates:

Sharks 9 June 2015

Eel 22 August 2017

Burbot 7 July 2015

Octopus 15 August 2017

Leech 2 August 2016

Earthworm 25 July 2017

Snail 5 September 2017

Fleas 10 November 2015

Beetles 27 October 2015

Bee 25 October 2019

Butterflies 16 June 2015

Cricket 1 November 2016