About this episode

Dino Martins discusses his passion for parasites and predators, blending scientific and spiritual insights from his experiences in Kenya.

Dino Martins is an entomologist who finds beauty in every bug. In this episode of Constant Wonder, he tells host Marcus Smith about his passion for parasites and how a lifetime of studying creepy-crawlies draws on both scientific and spiritual knowledge. Dino Martins grew up in Kenya, surrounded by wildlife and the insects that feed on them. Seeing parasitic wasps colonize caterpillars taught him the value of paying close attention, and he can enthrall even a skeptic with the marvels of the tsetse fly. He winningly argues that parasites and other predators are full of wonder and worthy of our fascination. Guest: Dino Martins, entomologist, evolutionary biologist, and author of “Hidden Creatures: Luscious Leeches, Bashful Botflies, and the Wondrous, History-Shaping World of Parasites” Visit our Substack for a look at Dino Martins’ art! https://bit.ly/4eZekFN (0:00) Meet Dino Martins (8:34) A Childhood Full of Creatures (25:10) A High-School Dropout? (30:45) The “Ick” Factor (33:43) Coexistence & Control (44:34 Spirituality in Spiders (49:14) Parasitic Paradoxes

People in this episode

Host: Marcus Smith

Guest: Dino Martins

Topics covered

• parasites
• predators
• entomology
• spirituality
• wildlife
• evolution

Keywords

• parasites
• predators
• entomology
• Dino Martins
• spirituality
• wildlife
• tsetse fly
• insects
• Kenya

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Hidden Creatures: Luscious Leeches, Bashful Botflies, and the Wondrous, History-Shaping World of Parasites

Places: Kenya

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