(Birds sing, insects buzz)
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: When the sound of buzzing fills the air in central Europe...
...it’s summer - high season \h\h\hin the insect kingdom.
\h\h\hA time to feed and a time to breed.
But, as it gets colder...
...life gets tough for insects.
Some birds head south,
while some mammals hibernate,
or endeavor to survive.
But...
...where do all the insects go?
(Birds sing)
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: It’s late summer - harvest time.
(Birds sing)
\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: Buzzing and humming \h\hfills the air.
(Insects buzz)
\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: Insects gather nectar \h\h\h\h\hand pollen.
The color and shine \h\h\hof ripe fruit
\h\h\h\h\h\hproclaims that they’re ready to be eaten.
(♪)
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: \h\h\h\h\hApple trees are the star attraction here.
Their sweet fruit
\h\h\hprovides a chance to load up on calories
before winter comes.
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIt’s heaven for many hungry insects.
\hEach has evolved its own special way
\h\h\h\h\h\hof dealing with the coming winter.
Their paths will soon separate
as they use different strategies to survive.
(Bird whistles)
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: \h\h\hFallen apples are a favorite of hornets.
Although adult hornets \h\h\h\hare predators,
\h\hthe juice of apples is an energy-rich food
they don’t pass up.
Gathering this food source \h\h\h\h\h\h\his the fuel
\h\h\hto prepare their colony for the winter.
Hornets often build their nest \h\h\h\hinside hollowed trees.
A guardian hornet \hat the entrance
checks who’s coming and going, \h\hand fans fresh air inside.
The nest construction has been \h\hunderway since the spring.
Workers constantly expand their home
with a pulp made of chewed wood.
But this residence \hisn’t permanent.
The colony will only live here for this one summer.
Inside the nest, with a single \h\hentrance, is the nursery,
\h\h\h\h\hwhich fills the entire structure.
There’s no food storage here
and the workers tirelessly \h\h\h\h\hfeed the larvae
the harvested apple juice.
Presiding over the colony is the much bigger queen.
She continuously lays eggs, \h\heach into its own cell.
Now, in late summer,
\h\h\h\h\hthe nest is home to as many as 700 workers.
This is their peak population.
But none of the workers, and not even the queen,
will survive the winter.
\h\hBut their hard work will ensure a new queen
and a new colony next spring.
(Hornets buzz)
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: Right next door, there’s another outpost of the insect kingdom...
...a honey bee hive.
Bees have a different strategy \h\h\h\h\h\h\hthan the hornets.
\hTheir plan is for the whole colony to survive the winter.
(Bees buzz)
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: Workers with yellow pollen sticking to their back legs
\h\hreturn to the hive to unload their bounty.
But some members of the colony \h\h\hare barred from entering.
At the hive entrance, \h\h\h\ha cruel drama
is unfolding ahead of winter.
Guards stop all the drones, \h\h\h\h\h\hthe male bees,
and ruthlessly expel them.
Now that the mating season \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\his over,
all drones are expelled \h\h\h\h\hfrom the hive
\h\h\hsince they are no longer of any use.
\hDrones are unable to feed themselves,
\h\h\h\hso would be a drain on the hive’s food reserves.
They’re left to starve in exile,
\h\h\hsacrificed to ensure the colony survives winter.
Meanwhile, the worker bees
\h\hbusily stock up on winter supplies.
Unlike hornets, bees have \hvast areas of the hive
dedicated to storing food.
\h\hSome cells hold protein-rich pollen,
\h\h\hwhile others hold nectar, which will thicken into honey.
These stores are necessary \h\h\hto support the hive,
\h\hwhich can be home to up to 60,000 bees.
(Bees buzz)
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: \h\h\h\h\hWhile the queen can live up to five years,
\h\h\h\h\hher workers will only live for six
\h\h\hfrenetic weeks in summer, preparing the hive for winter.
It’s all so that these larvae \h\h\hcan become winter bees,
which can live up to 6 months,
ensuring the hive survives \h\h\h\h\hthe cold season.
The days still feel \hpleasantly warm.
(Birds sing)
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: \h\hBut as the sun sets, temperatures can plummet.
\hMorning arrives, clad in a layer of fine, cool mist.
(♪)
\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: And dew laces leaves, \h\h\h\h\hblossoms...
...and even the wings \h\h\hof dragonflies.
\h\hLike all insects, they are cold-blooded:
their body temperature changing with the air temperature.
The cold night leaves them stiff and unable to move.
They sunbathe to reach operating temperature.
(♪)
(Toad croaks)
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: \hMost adult dragonflies live for only one summer,
dying when winter sets in.
It’s their larvae, known as a nymphs,
that survive the winter.
\hThe nymph lives underwater, and, depending on the species,
\h\hcan remain there for up to four years
\h\hbefore leaving the water to become an adult dragonfly.
It breathes by drawing water \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hinto its body
and over internal gills.
In contrast,
the great diving beetle
must visit the surface \h\h\h\h\hfor oxygen.
It captures air under its wings, like a scuba diver,
and can then stay submerged for longer periods of time.
Fast-moving ambush hunters,
they’re capable of taking fish
almost as big as themselves,
as they stock up on calories \h\h\hfor the coming winter.
Above water, as fall approaches,
other species of the forest are just reaching maturity.
Mushrooms stretch their caps \h\h\h\h\hout of the ground,
\h\h\hspreading their spores and propagating the next generation.
They spend most of the year beneath the earth’s surface
as mycelium, a root-like weave.
(♪)
\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: Still deeper under the forest floor,
a strange creature is stirring.
This is the larva of a famed beetle.
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIt looks nothing like its parents,
and to the untrained eye,
\h\h\h\hthere’s no clue to the animal it will become.
The larva lives underground \h\h\hfor up to six years,
\h\hfeeding on decaying wood and building up fat reserves.
\h\hThe insulated earth provides a perfect home,
especially in the cold winter.
After about five years of growth as a larva,
it digs out an underground \h\h\hchamber in the soil
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hto begin a dramatic transformation.
\h\h\h\hWith the early autumn, this larva prepares to pupate,
\h\h\hthe final stage of its metamorphosis,
the jaw structures revealing
the impressive adult \h\hit will become...
...a stag beetle.
(Birds sing)
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: \h\hAutumn paints the leaves in a rich palette of colors,
\h\h\h\h\h\hthe fruits of the forest ripen...
\h\h...only to be hidden by a jay in his winter larder.
The dormouse forages \hfor beech nuts...
...life-saving fat reserves for the long winter sleep.
\h\h\h\h\h\hFog dances, blanketing the woods...
(♪)
\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: ...leaving the valley \hcloaked with mist.
\h\h\h\hThe meadow saffron, or autumn crocus, emerges,
a rare splash of vibrant color.
As the weather grows \hcolder and wetter,
\h\h\hthe hornets embark on some home improvements
to their nest ahead of winter,
\h\h\hreducing the size of their front door to prevent heat loss.
But, they’re doomed.
Unlike their cousins, \h\h\hthe honey bees,
\h\h\hneither their colony nor their nest are designed
to stockpile supplies \hand keep them warm
during the cold winter months.
\hIn the nest, significantly fewer workers are now active.
\h\hBut there’s still a gruesome job to do.
They drag live larvae \hfrom their cells...
\h\h\h\h...and dump them outside the nest to die.
They no longer need new workers.
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOutside, the larval cemetery grows.
They’ve even stopped feeding their queen.
After giving birth \hto this colony,
she’s starved out of her own kingdom
\h\h\hand dies after only a year of life.
A lucky few larvae still receive food.
They’re the only ones \hleft in the colony
who have a chance to survive,
as next year’s queens.
As the hornets clean house,
\hladybugs prepare for the big chill.
With no nests to speak of,
\h\h\hthey need another way to survive the winter cold.
They hunt for shelter...
\h\h\h\h...following aggregation pheromones to nooks and crannies
between boulders and wall cracks.
In popular spots, they often gather
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hin the hundreds; this helps reduce dehydration.
\h\h\h\h\h\hThey are one of the amazing creatures
capable of producing a type of antifreeze,
\h\h\h\hwhich allows them to cope with temperatures
\h\h\h\h\h\has low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit.
In their secure niches,
with anti-freeze pumped \hthrough their bodies,
they will cease to eat
\h\h\hand enter a type of suspended animation.
They’ll stay here for months,
not venturing outside to forage even on warmer winter days.
As fall progresses,
\h\h\h\hcranes are among the many species of birds
flying south,
where food is easier to find.
(Cranes squawk)
\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: In northern climates,
barely anything blooms in fall,
except the ivy...
\h\h...which unfurls its modest blossoms.
Butterflies and bees,
wasps and hoverflies \h\harrive in droves,
\h\h\h\hattracted by the last food source
\h\h\h\hbefore winter tightens its icy grip.
\h\h\h\hThe red admiral tops up its energy reserves on nectar,
ready for an epic long-haul flight.
It’s one of the last \h\h\h\hbutterflies
seen before winter,
and, just like migratory birds,
\h\h\h\hit flies south for the cold season...
...leaving central Europe \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hto travel
an incredible 600 miles.
They cross alpine passes over
8 thousand feet high...
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h...to start a new generation of admirals
in the frost-free climes \h\h\hof southern Europe.
While they’re heading south,
\h\h\hgroundhogs retreat into sometimes elaborate,
\h\h\hpadded nest chambers to hibernate until spring.
\hNorth of the Alps, autumn still has some
golden days in store.
Vineyards glow...
...and the fall sun ripens
the final grapes of the season...
\h\h...which prove irresistible to the last surviving hornets.
The fermenting grapes provide \h\ha drunken farewell feast
for their final days of life.
Only the new young queens \h\h\h\hthat have emerged
\h\h\h\hhave any chance of surviving the winter.
Like many insects, they take \hshelter deep underground,
\h\h\h\hwhere they’re protected by the insulation of the earth.
\hThere’s the promise of new life here, too.
A clutch of tiny earwig eggs
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hlies in an underground incubator.
\h\h\h\hA tasty meal for an earth-runner,
a predatory centipede.
But the mother of the eggs \his here to protect them.
\h\h\hThe earwig is a dedicated mother,
a rarity in the insect world.
(♪)
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: Agitated by any trespassers,
she spreads her pincer,
ready to defend her offspring.
(Suspenseful music)
\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: The intruder retreats.
An earwig clutch holds \h\h\h\hup to 70 eggs.
Every one barely
1/16th inch long,
smaller than the head \h\hof a matchstick.
\hThe mother constantly brushes the eggs with her mouthparts...
\h\h\h...cleaning off molds and keeping the clutch damp,
so it doesn’t dry out \hin the winter air.
Unusual for an insect,
she’ll care for her clutch throughout the cold season.
(Running water)
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIn woodlands, falling levels of chlorophyll
\hturns the leaves from green to gold.
\h\h\h\h\h\hIn the clearings, the roars of rutting red deer
can be heard.
(Deer rut and roar)
(Deer roars)
\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: \h\hIt’s a few weeks since the alien larva
transformed in its cozy chamber
12 inches underground.
It’s now a fully-developed \h\h\h\h\hmale stag beetle.
He lies quietly on his back,
in his cradle, barely moving, \h\h\h\h\h\h\hto save energy.
\h\h\h\hHe’ll remain hidden in the warmth and security
of his little chamber,
safe from the ravages \h\h\hof the winter,
until spring comes.
\hBecause outside, it’s getting cold!
The dormouse has long since \h\h\hwithdrawn into a cave
\h\hfor winter sleep, curled up into a ball
to stay warm.
\hAs the temperature plummets, the fog turns into hoar frost,
\h\h\ha frozen water vapor that covers the landscape.
Most insects have disappeared.
But for some, the first frost
is an incredible wake-up call.
As soon as the temperature \h\hdrops below freezing,
and night falls...
a spectacular event unfolds...
...the winter moths emerge.
At first, the males of these
one-inch-long insects
swarm around the trees.
\h\h\h\hLater that night, winter moth females crawl
up the tree trunks. \h\hThey look like
\h\h\ha completely different species.
It’s time for them to find \ha mate, but their small,
\h\h\h\h\h\hstub wings are useless for flying.
Instead, they stay put,
and emit strong smelling pheromones into the air,
which can attract males \h\h\h\hfrom a distance
of up to over half a mile.
Shortly after, the females \hlay their fertilized eggs
in cracks in the bark.
Both males and females \h\h\hdie within days,
without eating a single meal.
\h\h\hThey emerge only to produce their eggs,
which will withstand the winter cold and hatch in the spring.
(Bird squawks)
\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: The first snow falls.
\h\hUnderground, insulated from the icy outside world,
the temperature is slightly \h\hwarmer and more stable,
\h\hthe key to survival for underground insects.
\hA tiny spider has entered the breeding chamber of the earwig.
It’s got its eye on a tasty egg.
The mother is already \h\h\h\hon her guard.
\h\hShe alternates between cleaning...
...and attack.
But the spider won’t give up.
The mother attacks again,
raising her tail to strike.
A blow from those pincers \h\h\h\h\h\h\hcould kill.
(Dramatic music)
\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: The spider retreats,
\h\h\hleaving the clutch of earwig eggs unharmed.
Mother and young are safe for now.
The snowy landscapes look \htranquil and beautiful.
But winter can be deadly.
Mammals have evolved \h\hto have a thick,
life-saving layer of fur.
It’s a struggle to reach food,
and the cold means they need \h\hmore energy than usual.
(Bird squawks)
As the temperature plunges...
...streams start freezing.
\hBut under the ice, the water temperature is relatively warm
and the stream bed never gets colder
than 39 degrees Fahrenheit.
\h\h\hThe Dragonfly nymph has retreated here for the winter.
The cold dramatically slows its metabolism,
so it lies still and waits,
surviving off what it ate \h\hearlier in the year.
It won’t need to eat again until spring.
This same tactic is also used \hby the great diving beetle.
\hThe ice stops it surfacing for air,
but there’s enough stored \h\hin the "scuba tanks"
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hunder its wings to last right through winter.
A slower winter metabolism \h\h\hrequires less oxygen
and no food.
\hThey calmly lie on the stream bed,
waiting for the thaw.
A thick layer of snow now covers the land.
\h\hSomewhere under this white blanket,
the young hornet queen \h\hhas buried herself
\h\hunder the earth and endures winter.
Her former home,
long abandoned.
But the old hornet nest \h\h\h\hhas a visitor.
The shrew can’t hibernate.
It must stay active,
hunting for insects \h\hall year round
or it will freeze to death.
It scours the empty hornet nest
to find some dead larvae,
a nice package of protein \h\h\hin the lean winter.
Next door,
the hive is humming.
In fact, the colder it gets,
the louder the buzzing.
The bees huddle together \h\h\h\hin what’s called
a "winter grape" for warmth.
Even in freezing temperatures,
\h\h\h\h\hit’s a cozy 68 degrees Fahrenheit
on the inside.
The colony has shrunk,
\h\hbut it still has about 20,000 members.
(Bees buzz)
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: \hThe bees flap their wings to increase their body temperature
\h\h\h\h\h\hand generate heat, like thousands of tiny stoves.
(Bees buzz)
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: It’s warmer at the center,
so they rotate places \h\h\h\hto make sure
every bee gets some time \h\h\h\hin the hot spot.
\h\h\hThe heat from their beating wings
\h\h\h\h\hmelts the honey they stored in the summer.
They pass it to one another \h\h\hfrom mouth to mouth.
Thanks to teamwork,
somewhere in the middle \hof the teeming hive,
the most important member of the colony survives...
...their queen.
As temperatures creep above \h\h32 degrees Fahrenheit,
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hthe worst of the freeze retreats.
Spring is still a long way off,
but it only takes the faintest \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hhint of warmth
\h\h\h\hfor snowdrops and crocuses to bloom.
\h\h\h\h\hThe tiny hike in temperature is enough
\h\hfor life to start stirring underground.
\h\hBrown dots appear in the earwigs’ eggs.
(♪)
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: A shell bursts open...
...and a baby earwig struggles to emerge.
The brown dots are the eyes.
Like the dragonfly,
the larva is called a nymph,
a poetic name for a larva
that already resembles its imposing parents.
It’s still quite transparent.
But with every casting \h\h\h\h\hof its skin,
it will look more and more \h\h\h\h\hlike its mother.
\h\h\h\hTheir shells quickly grow darker.
Late hatchers need to get a move on...
...because what looks like \h\ha harmless ball game...
\h...actually has murderous intent.
\hHungry earwig nymphs are trying to crack the shells
and eat their sibling.
Those who succeed get a meal,
\h\h\h\hand calories that could make the difference
between life and death.
(Sinister music)
(Birds sing)
\h\hNARRATOR: Above ground,
\h\h\h\h\hsunshine unfurls the leaves and blossoms...
\h\h\h...a supply of food for the first bees venturing out.
\h\h\h\hThey must replenish the depleted stocks of food
back in the hive.
(Bee buzzes)
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: \h\h\hThey return home to a gruesome scene...
\h...hundreds of dead bees littered outside the hive.
\h\hThe pile of corpses is part of an essential spring cleaning
to get ready for the next stage of the hive’s life cycle.
\h\h\hThese are winter bees that kept the colony alive
through the cold, but have died throughout the winter.
A spring cleaning...
...the bees clear out \h\h\h\h\hthe corpses
for the health of the hive.
\hInside, the colony prepares for summer.
Having survived the winter in the safety of the hive,
the queen is already doing her job of repopulating it.
She lays one egg after another,
as many as 2,000 a day.
By the end of the year, \h\hshe will have laid
up to 200,000 eggs.
\h\h\h\hEvery egg has its own private cell.
There, the workers \h\hlook after it
\h\h\h\huntil the larva reaches the pupa stage.
\h\h\h\h\hIn another cell, the big moment has arrived.
Attended by workers,
a summer bee is emerging.
It must chew its way out of its waxy cell.
\h\h\h\h\h\hLike all new workers, it will spend its first few days
helping to groom the queen
\hbefore flying out to forage for food.
Outside, greenery bursts forth \h\h\has the temperature rises.
\h\h\hTaking advantage of the warmer weather,
\h\h\h\h\hthe earwig mother has foraged above ground...
...and brought home a breakfast of fresh leaves for her brood.
Earwigs aren’t just predators, \h\h\h\h\hthey’re omnivores...
...and the growing nymphs \h\h\hare always hungry.
\h\h\h\h\hTheir shells are still translucent,
\h\h\hso as they eat, their vegetarian meal
turns them a vivid green.
Above ground, the weather \h\h\hsprings a surprise.
It’s not falling blossoms,
but the return of snow.
Unwilling to give up yet,
winter mounts a comeback.
\h\hThe sudden chill could spell disaster,
not just for blossom trees,
but also for insects.
In the breeding chamber \h\h\h\hof the earwigs,
the return of winter \hbrings a sacrifice.
\h\hThe earwig mother exhausted herself caring for her young...
...and dies.
To her ungrateful offspring,
she’s just another food source.
\hThe earwig nymphs crack open her shell
with their mouths and tuck in.
Her final macabre gift \h\h\h\h\hto her brood
\h\h\his to give them the calories they need
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hto survive till they reach maturity.
(Birds sing)
\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: \hBut winter only has a brief reappearance.
(Birds sing)
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: As the days get longer,
love is in the air.
Birds choose their partners...
...and the first chicks hatch.
(Baby ducks quack)
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: The blooming season brings \hfood for many species...
...marsh marigold, catkins...
...and aquatic plants.
\h\h\h\h\h\hAmid the reeds, common toads begin mating,
\h\hseveral smaller males competing for one female.
Only one male wins.
As the mating toads swim,
their three-foot-long \h\h\hstring of eggs
trails behind them.
When the tadpoles hatch,
some will provide precious calories
for reawakening hungry \h\h\h\hwater insects.
As the water warms up, \h\h\h\hthe metabolism
\h\h\h\h\h\hof the great diving beetle increases.
\h\h\hIt sets off to hunt again to make up for its winter fast.
Almost invisible,
a dragonfly nymph stalks its prey...
...a toad tadpole.
The nymph’s mouthparts \hare cleverly adapted
\h\h\h\h\h\hto shoot forward and catch prey at a distance.
The great diving beetle quickly reproduces after the winter.
Its swimming larva \hdevelops fast...
\h\h\h\h...and is already a skilled aquatic hunter,
\h\hstrong enough to kill a toad tadpole almost as big as itself.
Its voracious appetite will allow it to pupate
into an adult beetle \h\hin a few months,
before the next winter sets in.
As the mercury surges upwards,
\hdifferent species of dragonfly nymphs
emerge from the water to climb the reeds...
...and clamber out of their exoskeleton.
After pumping up their wings...
...and allowing them \h\h\h\hto harden...
...they are ready to fly...
...and find a mate.
(Birds sing)
\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: \hOut in the meadow, a young hornet queen
who survived the winter...
(Hornet buzzes)
\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: \h\h\h\h...has found a suitable tree hole
to start a new colony.
She must start from scratch, \h\h\h\h\h\hsingle-handedly,
build the nest, forage for food,
lay the eggs,
feed her growing larvae.
It’s a round-the-clock job...
...and it lasts for weeks.
\h\h\h\h\hFinally, 14 days after laying her first egg,
the hard work pays off.
Returning to the nest \h\h\h\hwith food...
\h\h\h\h\h...she finds her first hatchling...
...which immediately starts
\h\h\hlooking after its sibling larvae.
(♪)
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: \h\h\hNow the queen has a nanny in the nursery.
She’s still the breadwinner,
bringing food she pre-chews \h\h\h\h\hfor the infants.
But they both share \h\hfeeding duties.
(♪)
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: \h\h\h\hA few days later, she gets a second helper.
\h\h\h\hThere are many hungry mouths to feed.
Two or three days after they pupate,
new workers will join \hthe hunt for food.
Tree sap is perfect...
...full of energy-rich sugar.
\h\h\h\hIn the forest, many trees are budding.
A giant oak unfurls its leaves.
The winter moth caterpillars have emerged on the oak tree.
\hThey’re little more than feeding machines.
\h\h\h\hThey must consume all the calories they can
\h\hso that when they briefly emerge as moths next winter,
they’ll have enough \h\henergy to mate.
\h\h\hOn the forest floor, a fire salamander appears,
having survived the winter
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hsheltering in a frost-free fissure or cave.
\h\hA dormouse wakes from its hibernation.
\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAnd, finally, the stag beetle that waited
patiently on its back
\h\h\h\h\h\hnow emerges from its subterranean winter home.
His first instinct... \h\h\hto find a mate.
He picks up the pheromones \h\h\hof a nearby female.
But he’s not the only one \hattracted to her scent.
When two males meet,
the stage is set for battle.
The male’s "antlers" are actually part of its jaw.
\h\h\h\hBut like the deer they take their name from,
they use them as weapons.
\h\h\hThe aim is to throw their rival on his back...
...or right out of the tree.
\hThe winner’s prize is to mate with the female.
\h\h\h\h\hA male stag beetle is enormously strong for its size,
able to lift 100 times \h\h\h\hits own weight.
Its jaws exert huge force;
a bite can kill its rival.
This loser is lucky, he survives the fall.
The winner wastes no time \h\h\hclaiming his prize.
The pairing is business-like.
Like her mother before her,
the female will lay her eggs
amid the rotting roots \h\hof a dead tree...
...food for her larvae \h\h\hwhen they hatch.
(♪)
(Birds sing)
\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: Nourished on the sap \h\hof growing trees,
the hornet colony expands.
\h\h\hDozens of workers now bring not only food,
but also decaying wood,
\h\h\h\h\h\hbitten off with their sharp jaws.
\h\hMixed with saliva and thoroughly chewed,
\h\hthe wood pulp is the bricks and mortar for the growing nest.
These intricate castles \h\h\h\h\h\h\hcan reach
as much as 20 inches high.
The workers constantly add \hnew floors and chambers.
When it’s finally ready, \h\hthis year’s new queen
\h\h\h\hcan fulfill her primary role...
...to fill the cells \h\h\hwith her eggs.
Laying is hungry work,
\h\h\hso the workers regurgitate the food
\hthey have gathered to feed their queen.
\hIt’s all to ensure their colony grows and thrives...
...becoming a hornet nation \h\h\hfor one brief summer.
(Hornet buzzes)
\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: \h\h\hColor and life is everywhere now...
...providing a sumptuous feast \h\h\h\h\hfor the baby earwigs
that forage above ground.
(♪)
\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: Ladybugs hunt for...
...ladybug love.
(♪)
\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: And the Red Admirals are back,
not the ones who migrated south before the winter,
but a new generation,
hatched in southern Europe,
and now back in the north \h\h\h\h\hfor the summer.
(♪)
\h\h\h\h\hNARRATOR: Buzzing and humming \h\hfills the air.
A time to feed...
...to breed...
...and to prepare...
...for the next winter to come.
(♪)