As Chair of the APPG for Bees, Pollinators, and Invertebrates, Barry joined colleagues from across the political spectrum in Westminster this Insect Week (23 June 2026) to pledge support for insect life and inspire the next generation of insect scientists.
Around the world, insect populations have declined and are continuing to change. Citizen science surveys such as the Big Butterfly Count and the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (PoMS) record these fluctuations across various insect groups in the UK such as bees, butterflies, hoverflies, grasshoppers and beetles to name just a few. Scientists are working to understand exactly what is happening and why, and there is a growing need for more insect scientists (entomologists) to help monitor, study and protect the insects that underpin our natural world.
Insect Week, which takes place in the last week of June every year, is run by The Royal Entomological Society (RES), a global organisation devoted to the understanding and development of insect science. The RES believes that inspiring the next generation in the classroom will help to build the future expertise needed to understand and respond to these changes.
Schools, families and young people can take part in Insect Week 2026 by exploring free activities and new resources online at www.royensoc.co.uk/insectweek or by visiting one of the Insect Week City Hubs across the UK and Ireland where free events are taking place all week.
The ‘Stand Tall For The Small’ campaign is being supported by The Bees, Pollinators and Invertebrates All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), established by a group of cross-party MPs with the Royal Entomological Society to champion some of our smallest but mightiest creatures.
Join the conversation #StandTallForTheSmall.