In a much closer contest than previous years – when the tardigrade and the common earthworm won with popular landslides – the winner of the 2026 Guardian Invertebrate of the year has been decided.
The competition was launched three years ago to celebrate overlooked and often derided invertebrates, which number at least 1.7m species – about 97% of all animals – with probably millions more still to be discovered and described.
Watch presenter and naturalist Chris Packham run down the top three to reveal the winner.
