Radio Times: Review by:; Jane Anderson

Where do flies go in winter? This is the question that inspired this raunchy rummage though the vegetation around an icy lake near Kidderminster, Worcestershire. And I do mean raunchy, for Dr Erica McAlister, collection manager of diptera (that’s flies with two pairs of wings to you and me) at the Natural History Museum, believes that the 7,500-plus breeds of fly in the United Kingdom are “cool”, “amazing” and even “sexy”.

As she introduces presenter Miranda Krestovnikoff to the joys of fly-spotting (start your search in waterside tussocks, if you’re interested — flies love a warm, dank undergrowth to nestle in) it’s clear that McAlister’s made a convert with her bubbling brand of enthusiasm.

About this programme

Miranda Krestovnikoff learns about the habits of flies during winter. She visits an ice-bound pond and woodland near Kidderminster, accompanied by Erica McAlister of the Natural History Museum, to discover how creatures including dolichopodids and fungus gnats survive inhospitable conditions. Last in the series.