INSECTS can be creepy, crawly… and bite! Despite this, Dr George McGavin has a passion for this most diverse group of animals, which have been around for well over 400 million years.

The broadcaster, who has worked with Sir David Attenborough on his famous BBC wildlife series, explains: “I was always fascinated by the natural world. 

“A primary school teacher once said that I could be distracted by a fly going past. How prescient of her. I hope I’ll always be distracted by passing flies, beetles or indeed anything else with six legs.”

George has studied insects all round the world and says it’s impossible to name his favourite: “Such a difficult question because all species are interesting and if you don’t think they are, it’s because you don’t know enough about them. 

“Treehoppers are one of my favourite groups of insects. There are around 3,500 species and they are especially diverse in South America. They have some of the most freakish shapes seen in the insect world and are masters of disguise and camouflage.”

In his theatre show, It’s A Wild Life, George presents stories of the wild and wonderful places he has visited and the amazing discoveries he has made. 

His work has taken him from the tropical forests of Papua New Guinea and Borneo to the caves of Thailand, and from the jungles of Belize to the savannahs of Tanzania.

Using his collection of wildlife images and film footage, he will share sights, sounds, and behind the scenes secrets from when it went right, and when it went wrong – and the dangers are not always where you might expect.

“Over the years I’ve been bitten and stung and have come face to face with very dangerous snakes,” he explains. “The risk of tropical diseases is ever present, but the real dangers of working in remote and challenging locations such as rain forests is getting there. Helicopters and hire vehicles can be very dangerous things.”

For anyone who is wary of insects, George recommends his book, The Hidden World: How Insects Sustain Life on Earth Today and Will Shape Our Lives Tomorrow. Meanwhile, he brings his show to the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford, on Wednesday 5 April.