1 00:00:00,273 --> 00:00:02,856 (eerie music) 2 00:00:16,303 --> 00:00:19,053 (dramatic music) 3 00:00:21,060 --> 00:00:22,193 Space. 4 00:00:25,030 --> 00:00:27,683 Is not the final frontier. 5 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:34,850 You don't need to go that far 6 00:00:34,850 --> 00:00:37,943 to explore strange new worlds, 7 00:00:39,000 --> 00:00:41,560 to seek out new life. 8 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:44,393 (dramatic music) 9 00:00:46,040 --> 00:00:49,752 There are alien worlds right under our noses. 10 00:00:49,752 --> 00:00:53,003 (insect buzzing) 11 00:00:53,003 --> 00:00:54,590 (insects chirping) 12 00:00:54,590 --> 00:00:59,590 Insects as close to an alien life form that we'll ever see 13 00:00:59,670 --> 00:01:01,393 without leaving planet Earth. 14 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:08,393 They've been around for well over 400 million years. 15 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:13,840 Insects were watching when our distant ancestors 16 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:16,593 took their first footsteps on dry land. 17 00:01:17,666 --> 00:01:20,499 (dramatic music) 18 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:28,417 They saw the dinosaurs come and go, 19 00:01:34,120 --> 00:01:37,850 and witnessed the rise of a smart two-legged ape 20 00:01:37,850 --> 00:01:40,502 who thinks it rules this planet. 21 00:01:40,502 --> 00:01:45,502 (dramatic music) (electrical whirring) 22 00:01:52,232 --> 00:01:54,004 But think again. 23 00:01:54,004 --> 00:01:56,671 (gentle music) 24 00:02:00,200 --> 00:02:02,873 This planet is run by insects. 25 00:02:06,510 --> 00:02:09,843 They're crucial to almost every ecosystem on land. 26 00:02:11,515 --> 00:02:13,860 (bees buzzing) 27 00:02:13,860 --> 00:02:16,403 Without them our world would fall apart. 28 00:02:17,706 --> 00:02:20,539 (birds chirping) 29 00:02:21,930 --> 00:02:25,593 This is their world and their story. 30 00:02:27,504 --> 00:02:30,087 (gentle music) 31 00:02:33,762 --> 00:02:37,813 (birds chirping) (animal calling) 32 00:02:37,813 --> 00:02:42,813 (gentle music) (birds squawking) 33 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:47,149 The sheer diversity of insects is astonishing. 34 00:02:47,149 --> 00:02:49,816 (gentle music) 35 00:02:58,090 --> 00:03:01,563 About one million species are known to science, 36 00:03:11,070 --> 00:03:13,020 but, best guess, 37 00:03:13,020 --> 00:03:16,800 at least another five million are out there 38 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:19,433 as yet unseen by human eyes. 39 00:03:24,940 --> 00:03:27,240 At least two-thirds of all animals 40 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:29,422 on the planet are insects. 41 00:03:29,422 --> 00:03:32,089 (gentle music) 42 00:03:33,730 --> 00:03:37,047 Or, as one renowned biologist said, 43 00:03:37,047 --> 00:03:38,987 "To a good approximation, 44 00:03:38,987 --> 00:03:41,337 "all species are insects." 45 00:03:44,120 --> 00:03:46,260 We may never know the true number 46 00:03:46,260 --> 00:03:49,313 of different kinds of insects on planet Earth, 47 00:03:50,530 --> 00:03:52,410 but one thing is certain. 48 00:03:52,410 --> 00:03:54,340 They're the most successful group 49 00:03:54,340 --> 00:03:56,328 of animals to have ever lived. 50 00:03:56,328 --> 00:03:58,995 (gentle music) 51 00:04:04,100 --> 00:04:07,463 What's the secret of their world-conquering success? 52 00:04:09,340 --> 00:04:11,260 One big reason is that their bodies 53 00:04:11,260 --> 00:04:14,223 can evolve almost any form you could imagine. 54 00:04:16,592 --> 00:04:19,425 (dramatic music) 55 00:04:21,060 --> 00:04:22,860 As well as some that seem, 56 00:04:22,860 --> 00:04:25,773 well, beyond imagination. 57 00:04:30,230 --> 00:04:32,580 In just one rainforest there could be 58 00:04:32,580 --> 00:04:35,973 two-and-a-half million different kinds of insects, 59 00:04:37,230 --> 00:04:40,093 all shaped to fit their own unique lifestyle. 60 00:04:45,110 --> 00:04:46,470 When it comes to all the ways 61 00:04:46,470 --> 00:04:49,750 in which insects have adapted their bodies, 62 00:04:49,750 --> 00:04:53,483 design flexibility seems something of an understatement. 63 00:04:55,983 --> 00:04:59,060 (birds squawking) 64 00:04:59,060 --> 00:05:03,820 Insects hold dominion over dry land and fresh water, 65 00:05:03,820 --> 00:05:07,463 even beyond the teaming world of rainforests. 66 00:05:07,463 --> 00:05:12,463 (dramatic music) (water gurgling) 67 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:27,883 The ultimate bug-eyed monster, a dragonfly larva, 68 00:05:30,310 --> 00:05:32,410 a perfect example of how insects 69 00:05:32,410 --> 00:05:34,703 can reshape any part of their body. 70 00:05:36,147 --> 00:05:39,475 (dramatic music) 71 00:05:39,475 --> 00:05:42,040 (water gurgling) 72 00:05:42,040 --> 00:05:45,093 It's the only insect that's jet propelled. 73 00:05:48,114 --> 00:05:50,947 (dramatic music) 74 00:05:56,380 --> 00:05:59,863 It squirts water from a very muscular backside, 75 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:03,623 and it patrols its world like a tiny submarine, 76 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:14,143 a hunter-killer submarine. 77 00:06:18,860 --> 00:06:21,350 At the opposite end from its jet engine, 78 00:06:21,350 --> 00:06:23,863 it has sharp eyes with stereo vision. 79 00:06:27,500 --> 00:06:31,353 It judges the exact distance to any unwary creature, 80 00:06:34,110 --> 00:06:36,550 and when it sneaks close enough, 81 00:06:36,550 --> 00:06:39,513 it deploys a unique dragonfly weapon. 82 00:06:40,618 --> 00:06:43,535 (foreboding music) 83 00:06:48,690 --> 00:06:53,010 It's reshaped its mouth parts into an extendable trap 84 00:06:53,010 --> 00:06:55,650 that can shoot out nearly half its body length 85 00:06:58,570 --> 00:07:00,073 and snap closed. 86 00:07:06,310 --> 00:07:07,320 A precision shot 87 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:11,057 over in the blink of an eye. 88 00:07:18,060 --> 00:07:20,920 Being able to customize any part of their body, 89 00:07:20,920 --> 00:07:24,143 isn't the only reason for the triumph of insect kind. 90 00:07:27,370 --> 00:07:28,730 We've recently discovered 91 00:07:28,730 --> 00:07:31,983 something even more surprising about insects. 92 00:07:34,450 --> 00:07:38,963 It turns out that some are really, really smart. 93 00:07:40,681 --> 00:07:43,630 (dramatic music) 94 00:07:43,630 --> 00:07:46,060 One test of intelligence in animals 95 00:07:46,060 --> 00:07:48,090 is when they're given a problem, 96 00:07:48,090 --> 00:07:50,753 they can workout a solution in their heads. 97 00:07:52,550 --> 00:07:56,260 Hang a piece of food from a perch out of reach, 98 00:07:56,260 --> 00:07:59,883 and a smart bird like a raven soon works out what to do. 99 00:08:02,680 --> 00:08:03,923 Just pull the string. 100 00:08:04,930 --> 00:08:06,700 Hold it with your foot. 101 00:08:06,700 --> 00:08:08,410 Pull a bit more, 102 00:08:08,410 --> 00:08:11,066 and in no time at all you have a snack. 103 00:08:11,066 --> 00:08:14,210 (dramatic music) 104 00:08:14,210 --> 00:08:16,833 Yet, anything a mere vertebrate can do, 105 00:08:18,850 --> 00:08:21,430 bumblebees can also do this, 106 00:08:21,430 --> 00:08:24,233 even though they must be trained to solve the problem. 107 00:08:25,160 --> 00:08:29,555 Pull the string and reach a reward of nectar. 108 00:08:29,555 --> 00:08:32,138 (bees buzzing) 109 00:08:40,610 --> 00:08:43,203 Now this bee hasn't been trained at all, 110 00:08:45,390 --> 00:08:46,810 but if she's allowed to watch 111 00:08:46,810 --> 00:08:49,023 her nest mates solving the problem, 112 00:08:50,530 --> 00:08:54,629 she knows exactly what to do when she gets her turn. 113 00:08:54,629 --> 00:08:57,129 (bee buzzing) 114 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:01,560 Teachers and students 115 00:09:01,560 --> 00:09:05,063 and all with brains only the size of pinheads, 116 00:09:10,660 --> 00:09:12,580 combine this with the flexibility 117 00:09:12,580 --> 00:09:14,523 of the basic insect layout, 118 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:17,993 and there's not much that insects can't do, 119 00:09:19,011 --> 00:09:21,511 (tense music) 120 00:09:22,610 --> 00:09:25,532 or places they can't go. 121 00:09:25,532 --> 00:09:28,115 (wind blowing) 122 00:09:30,100 --> 00:09:34,250 They now live in every habitable spot on the planet 123 00:09:34,250 --> 00:09:37,460 as well as quite a few that, to us at least, 124 00:09:37,460 --> 00:09:39,883 seem totally uninhabitable. 125 00:09:41,850 --> 00:09:44,410 White Sands, New Mexico, 126 00:09:44,410 --> 00:09:46,663 a sea of dazzling, white dunes. 127 00:09:48,930 --> 00:09:51,680 Not a familiar silica sand, 128 00:09:51,680 --> 00:09:53,653 but gypsum crystals. 129 00:09:54,757 --> 00:09:57,924 (footsteps crunching) 130 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:04,900 Yet, it's home to darkling beetles 131 00:10:04,900 --> 00:10:07,233 that survive searing temperatures. 132 00:10:09,290 --> 00:10:12,793 The ground can reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit. 133 00:10:17,780 --> 00:10:21,150 Insects have adapted to these extreme conditions 134 00:10:21,150 --> 00:10:23,800 in a relatively short space of time. 135 00:10:23,800 --> 00:10:26,638 (insects chirping) 136 00:10:26,638 --> 00:10:30,030 (dramatic music) 137 00:10:30,030 --> 00:10:33,543 These dunes are at most only 10,000 years old. 138 00:10:36,330 --> 00:10:39,460 Yet, all kinds of insects are now perfectly at home 139 00:10:39,460 --> 00:10:41,619 in this desolate world. 140 00:10:41,619 --> 00:10:44,452 (dramatic music) 141 00:10:47,950 --> 00:10:52,590 Gypsum crystals are much bigger than grains of silica sand. 142 00:10:52,590 --> 00:10:55,880 Yet, harvester ants manage to dig their nest here 143 00:10:56,730 --> 00:11:00,011 among what must seem like boulders to them. 144 00:11:00,011 --> 00:11:02,761 (dramatic music) 145 00:11:05,870 --> 00:11:08,580 (insects chirping) 146 00:11:08,580 --> 00:11:10,163 Under cover of darkness, 147 00:11:11,210 --> 00:11:13,563 even stranger creatures emerge. 148 00:11:16,210 --> 00:11:18,539 Sand treader crickets. 149 00:11:18,539 --> 00:11:23,539 (dramatic music) (crickets chirping) 150 00:11:30,400 --> 00:11:33,780 Their back legs have evolved spiny shovels 151 00:11:33,780 --> 00:11:36,733 to kick the crystals away from their holes. 152 00:11:41,970 --> 00:11:44,120 Though even the best adaptations 153 00:11:44,120 --> 00:11:45,343 are never foolproof. 154 00:11:54,890 --> 00:11:58,560 Is there anywhere too harsh for an insect? 155 00:11:58,560 --> 00:12:01,940 (bird squawking) 156 00:12:01,940 --> 00:12:03,253 The dead of winter, 157 00:12:04,130 --> 00:12:06,703 a world of snow and ice, 158 00:12:12,090 --> 00:12:15,423 even here some insects are in their element. 159 00:12:18,190 --> 00:12:19,543 Snow fleas. 160 00:12:22,220 --> 00:12:24,363 They are related to fleas, 161 00:12:25,630 --> 00:12:29,470 but instead of hiding in warm fur or feathers, 162 00:12:29,470 --> 00:12:32,073 they're out and about in the middle of winter. 163 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:39,930 They don't even like sunny winter days, 164 00:12:39,930 --> 00:12:44,159 sheltering under the ice until the cold returns, 165 00:12:44,159 --> 00:12:47,360 (wind blowing) (bird squawks) 166 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:50,303 and from the dazzle of dunes and snow, 167 00:12:54,550 --> 00:12:56,743 to the darkness of a deep cave, 168 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:02,693 it's just another place to call home. 169 00:13:04,030 --> 00:13:05,343 Cave crickets. 170 00:13:06,580 --> 00:13:09,363 This far underground it's pitch black, 171 00:13:10,310 --> 00:13:12,560 but still no problem for insects. 172 00:13:16,220 --> 00:13:19,450 Cave crickets have absurdly long antenna 173 00:13:19,450 --> 00:13:22,065 to feel their way around in the dark. 174 00:13:22,065 --> 00:13:25,332 (dramatic music) 175 00:13:25,332 --> 00:13:28,165 (water trickling) 176 00:13:31,510 --> 00:13:34,733 Anything that gets lost down here is soon found. 177 00:13:44,292 --> 00:13:47,010 (tense music) 178 00:13:47,010 --> 00:13:48,763 There's not always much to eat. 179 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:52,563 So when something tasty does turn up, 180 00:13:53,660 --> 00:13:55,737 it's worth fighting over. 181 00:13:55,737 --> 00:13:58,820 (suspenseful music) 182 00:14:12,570 --> 00:14:15,550 You never know where your next meal's coming from 183 00:14:15,550 --> 00:14:16,703 in this dark world. 184 00:14:18,505 --> 00:14:22,046 (water trickling) 185 00:14:22,046 --> 00:14:26,900 (gentle music) (birds chirping) 186 00:14:26,900 --> 00:14:30,647 Insects are nature's ultimate success story, 187 00:14:30,647 --> 00:14:34,300 (birds chirping) 188 00:14:34,300 --> 00:14:36,353 but some have done better than others. 189 00:14:38,098 --> 00:14:41,070 (gentle music) 190 00:14:41,070 --> 00:14:44,210 There are just a few thousand kinds of mantises 191 00:14:45,270 --> 00:14:46,543 or stick insects. 192 00:14:54,870 --> 00:14:58,923 For others their numbers are off the scale. 193 00:15:00,812 --> 00:15:03,479 (gentle music) 194 00:15:04,870 --> 00:15:08,423 Of all insects beetles are the most successful. 195 00:15:10,620 --> 00:15:12,110 There's nearly half a million 196 00:15:12,110 --> 00:15:14,243 different sorts that we do know of, 197 00:15:16,270 --> 00:15:18,293 but a lot more that we don't. 198 00:15:24,020 --> 00:15:26,870 Around a thousand different kinds have been found 199 00:15:26,870 --> 00:15:30,016 in just one sort of rainforest tree. 200 00:15:30,016 --> 00:15:33,050 (insects chittering) 201 00:15:33,050 --> 00:15:35,760 And there are a lot of trees out there. 202 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:38,780 (dramatic music) 203 00:15:38,780 --> 00:15:42,673 Nearly half of all insect species are beetles. 204 00:15:47,980 --> 00:15:49,950 That means a quarter of all animals 205 00:15:49,950 --> 00:15:53,264 alive on earth today are beetles. 206 00:15:53,264 --> 00:15:56,097 (dramatic music) 207 00:16:02,410 --> 00:16:03,817 Everywhere you look 208 00:16:04,683 --> 00:16:06,860 beetles and more beetles. 209 00:16:08,339 --> 00:16:11,172 (birds chirping) 210 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:17,870 Spring in a Northern European woodland 211 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:22,212 a more familiar world, 212 00:16:22,212 --> 00:16:27,212 (birds chirping) (woodpecker pecking) 213 00:16:27,970 --> 00:16:29,460 but still home to perhaps 214 00:16:29,460 --> 00:16:32,003 a thousand different kinds of beetles. 215 00:16:36,230 --> 00:16:40,080 One reason that so many beetles can live in one place 216 00:16:40,080 --> 00:16:42,540 is that they've evolved a lot of different ways 217 00:16:42,540 --> 00:16:47,033 of making a living of finding a bite to eat. 218 00:16:50,780 --> 00:16:54,044 A Goldsmith beetle prefers earthworms. 219 00:16:54,044 --> 00:16:56,877 (birds chirping) 220 00:16:58,700 --> 00:17:02,286 A glowworm beetle eats only snails. 221 00:17:02,286 --> 00:17:05,119 (birds chirping) 222 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:10,190 In the canopy above 223 00:17:11,970 --> 00:17:13,350 a Dendroxena beetles 224 00:17:13,350 --> 00:17:15,693 specializes in hunting caterpillars. 225 00:17:16,914 --> 00:17:20,490 (insects chittering) 226 00:17:20,490 --> 00:17:23,537 Happy to gorge on those even bigger than itself. 227 00:17:24,867 --> 00:17:27,700 (birds chirping) 228 00:17:29,980 --> 00:17:32,420 Just three unique lives among many 229 00:17:32,420 --> 00:17:34,463 in this one patch of woodland, 230 00:17:37,380 --> 00:17:39,717 and they all pass unnoticed. 231 00:17:40,758 --> 00:17:43,591 (tranquil music) 232 00:17:45,150 --> 00:17:49,115 But the more we look the more we find. 233 00:17:49,115 --> 00:17:51,260 (birds chirping) 234 00:17:51,260 --> 00:17:54,343 (insects chittering) 235 00:17:56,080 --> 00:17:57,730 Butterflies and moths 236 00:17:57,730 --> 00:18:01,583 are not far behind beetles in sheer variety. 237 00:18:01,583 --> 00:18:06,583 (birds chirping) (upbeat music) 238 00:18:07,530 --> 00:18:11,020 One in every 10 animals alive on the planet 239 00:18:11,020 --> 00:18:13,013 is a butterfly or moth. 240 00:18:14,057 --> 00:18:15,964 (birds chirping) 241 00:18:15,964 --> 00:18:18,631 (upbeat music) 242 00:18:28,050 --> 00:18:30,273 Surely, everyone loves butterflies. 243 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:34,423 (upbeat music) 244 00:18:39,020 --> 00:18:41,687 (gentle music) 245 00:18:43,640 --> 00:18:47,393 An infinite pallet of colors and ornate patterns, 246 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:55,573 all created by a mosaic of tiny scales covering their wings, 247 00:19:03,580 --> 00:19:06,290 and there are still thousands more species 248 00:19:06,290 --> 00:19:07,753 that we have yet to see. 249 00:19:10,700 --> 00:19:12,963 Hidden beauty yet to be discovered. 250 00:19:19,110 --> 00:19:21,467 Museums around the world already house 251 00:19:21,467 --> 00:19:25,903 160,000 different butterflies and moths, 252 00:19:29,400 --> 00:19:32,733 but every year we find another 800 new ones. 253 00:19:38,146 --> 00:19:40,896 (insect buzzing) 254 00:19:44,410 --> 00:19:46,730 Maybe not as welcome, 255 00:19:46,730 --> 00:19:49,573 flies are another insect triumph. 256 00:19:57,090 --> 00:20:00,860 There are nearly 160,000 different kinds 257 00:20:00,860 --> 00:20:02,463 that we already know about, 258 00:20:03,490 --> 00:20:06,163 but that's nowhere near the whole story. 259 00:20:08,340 --> 00:20:10,970 Recently, in just one year, 260 00:20:10,970 --> 00:20:13,070 30 new species were discovered 261 00:20:13,070 --> 00:20:15,733 within the city of Los Angeles alone. 262 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:20,683 So it might be there are even more flies than beetles. 263 00:20:24,030 --> 00:20:27,570 But they're not as popular as beetles or butterflies. 264 00:20:27,570 --> 00:20:30,493 So fewer people are searching for new ones, 265 00:20:31,730 --> 00:20:36,020 which is a shame because they're just as beautiful, 266 00:20:36,020 --> 00:20:37,853 if you look at them in the right way 267 00:20:44,670 --> 00:20:47,443 They're all miracles of micro engineering. 268 00:20:48,720 --> 00:20:50,144 Precision built, 269 00:20:50,144 --> 00:20:53,460 (dramatic music) 270 00:20:53,460 --> 00:20:56,300 and equipped with some pretty high-tech features. 271 00:20:56,300 --> 00:20:59,133 (dramatic music) 272 00:21:01,150 --> 00:21:03,793 They have gyroscopic stabilizers. 273 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:11,110 Their hind wings are reduced to long stalks 274 00:21:11,110 --> 00:21:14,920 with a heavy club at the tip, called halteres, 275 00:21:14,920 --> 00:21:17,920 that beat up and down as they fly. 276 00:21:17,920 --> 00:21:22,320 (dramatic music) (air whooshing) 277 00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:25,280 At the base there's a complex arrangement 278 00:21:25,280 --> 00:21:29,273 of tiny sensors that measure stresses along the stalk. 279 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:36,800 These little knobs behave like gyroscopes. 280 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:39,333 They always beat in the same direction. 281 00:21:40,260 --> 00:21:42,470 As the fly's body turns, 282 00:21:42,470 --> 00:21:44,550 the halteres don't. 283 00:21:44,550 --> 00:21:48,123 Instead they bend and twist at their base, 284 00:21:50,460 --> 00:21:52,870 and the sensors read this information 285 00:21:52,870 --> 00:21:55,159 and send it to the flies brain. 286 00:21:55,159 --> 00:21:56,661 (wings whooshing) 287 00:21:56,661 --> 00:21:59,420 (dramatic music) 288 00:21:59,420 --> 00:22:02,130 So a fly has continuous feedback 289 00:22:02,130 --> 00:22:03,813 on its flight attitude, 290 00:22:04,930 --> 00:22:06,913 on roll, pitch, and yaw. 291 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:10,010 It has its own autopilot 292 00:22:10,010 --> 00:22:13,590 giving it precise control of its flight path, 293 00:22:13,590 --> 00:22:15,445 no matter what hits it. 294 00:22:15,445 --> 00:22:20,445 (air whooshing) (fly buzzing) 295 00:22:22,015 --> 00:22:24,848 (liquid gurgling) 296 00:22:26,420 --> 00:22:29,233 Their mouth parts are just as beautifully engineered. 297 00:22:30,263 --> 00:22:32,590 (fluid gurgling) 298 00:22:32,590 --> 00:22:34,743 Built like a sponge on a stick. 299 00:22:38,780 --> 00:22:43,463 For these flies every lunch is a liquid lunch. 300 00:22:43,463 --> 00:22:46,296 (liquid gurgling) 301 00:22:52,820 --> 00:22:55,920 Bugs usually get a bad press, 302 00:22:55,920 --> 00:22:58,080 especially the ones that exploit us 303 00:22:58,080 --> 00:22:59,624 and our way of life. 304 00:22:59,624 --> 00:23:02,374 (knife thudding) 305 00:23:04,470 --> 00:23:06,550 Look at it another way. 306 00:23:06,550 --> 00:23:08,850 Maybe we should admire how they profit 307 00:23:08,850 --> 00:23:11,503 from any and all opportunities. 308 00:23:13,170 --> 00:23:17,090 Left unnoticed many generations of bean weevils 309 00:23:17,090 --> 00:23:20,842 live out their lives in a jar of dried beans. 310 00:23:20,842 --> 00:23:23,940 (insects chittering) 311 00:23:23,940 --> 00:23:26,820 Their whole world, as their larva grow 312 00:23:26,820 --> 00:23:30,223 from egg to adult, inside a single bean. 313 00:23:33,890 --> 00:23:36,360 Beetles do just as well in our world 314 00:23:36,360 --> 00:23:38,473 as in remote rainforests. 315 00:23:39,610 --> 00:23:41,030 There seems to be a beetle 316 00:23:41,030 --> 00:23:44,063 that eats every kind of grain we store. 317 00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:47,253 Flower beetles, 318 00:23:48,840 --> 00:23:50,995 rice weevils, 319 00:23:50,995 --> 00:23:54,162 (eerie ambient music) 320 00:23:56,910 --> 00:23:58,710 Golden spider beetles, 321 00:23:58,710 --> 00:24:00,160 on the other hand, 322 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:02,480 eat just about anything. 323 00:24:02,480 --> 00:24:04,903 From pasta to mouse droppings, 324 00:24:06,430 --> 00:24:08,223 any recipe works for them, 325 00:24:09,600 --> 00:24:11,577 even the recipe book itself. 326 00:24:17,880 --> 00:24:20,080 (insects chittering) 327 00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:23,029 (woman gasping) 328 00:24:23,029 --> 00:24:25,620 (glass clinking) 329 00:24:25,620 --> 00:24:30,323 Insects have conquered the world, theirs and ours, 330 00:24:31,780 --> 00:24:34,633 because their basic body design is so flexible, 331 00:24:37,790 --> 00:24:41,480 and that's mainly down to one feature of their architecture 332 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:43,003 shared by all insects. 333 00:24:43,988 --> 00:24:48,988 (insects chirping) (tense music) 334 00:24:52,069 --> 00:24:54,736 (upbeat music) 335 00:24:56,350 --> 00:24:58,693 They have a hard outer skeleton, 336 00:24:59,720 --> 00:25:01,792 an exoskeleton. 337 00:25:01,792 --> 00:25:04,375 (upbeat music) 338 00:25:06,240 --> 00:25:08,833 It's an insect equivalent of plastic. 339 00:25:10,950 --> 00:25:13,740 It can be molded into all kinds of shapes 340 00:25:18,100 --> 00:25:20,163 for all sorts of purposes. 341 00:25:23,640 --> 00:25:24,863 From camouflage, 342 00:25:27,690 --> 00:25:28,713 to combat, 343 00:25:33,060 --> 00:25:36,693 the exoskeleton can be shaped into intimidating weapons. 344 00:25:38,870 --> 00:25:43,333 Many beetles grow horns like miniature dinosaurs. 345 00:25:47,820 --> 00:25:50,720 (dramatic music) 346 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:54,340 A male atlas beetle is armed with opposing horns 347 00:25:54,340 --> 00:25:55,943 that work like a vice. 348 00:25:59,930 --> 00:26:01,730 At three inches long, 349 00:26:01,730 --> 00:26:03,523 these beetles are intimidating, 350 00:26:07,969 --> 00:26:12,219 and they use their horns in a trial of strength with rivals. 351 00:26:12,219 --> 00:26:15,052 (dramatic music) 352 00:26:24,440 --> 00:26:28,100 Like sumo wrestlers each tries to lift his opponent 353 00:26:28,100 --> 00:26:29,713 clear of the ground, 354 00:26:29,713 --> 00:26:33,130 (suspenseful music) 355 00:26:33,130 --> 00:26:35,465 and throw him from the field of battle. 356 00:26:35,465 --> 00:26:38,465 (suspenseful music) 357 00:26:49,216 --> 00:26:51,883 (body thudding) 358 00:26:53,807 --> 00:26:55,590 But that tough exoskeleton 359 00:26:55,590 --> 00:26:57,913 means he'll live to fight another day. 360 00:27:05,180 --> 00:27:06,950 A strong suit of armor 361 00:27:06,950 --> 00:27:09,775 also protects insects from the elements. 362 00:27:09,775 --> 00:27:12,692 (thunder rumbling) 363 00:27:14,183 --> 00:27:19,183 (thunder crashing) (rain pattering) 364 00:27:30,459 --> 00:27:33,313 (dramatic music) 365 00:27:33,313 --> 00:27:36,313 (droplets plopping) 366 00:27:39,590 --> 00:27:42,380 The exoskeleton is so water repellent 367 00:27:43,290 --> 00:27:46,099 that raindrops just bounce off. 368 00:27:46,099 --> 00:27:49,099 (droplets plopping) 369 00:28:06,015 --> 00:28:07,110 (gentle music) 370 00:28:07,110 --> 00:28:10,340 The colorful scales covering a butterfly's wing 371 00:28:10,340 --> 00:28:13,393 are made of the same stuff as the rest of the exoskeleton, 372 00:28:16,800 --> 00:28:18,553 and are just as un-wettable. 373 00:28:19,451 --> 00:28:24,451 (gentle music) (droplets plopping) 374 00:28:28,950 --> 00:28:31,000 Droplets simply roll away 375 00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:35,335 keeping these airfoils in perfect shape. 376 00:28:35,335 --> 00:28:37,918 (serene music) 377 00:28:53,720 --> 00:28:56,440 We know the very first insects to evolve 378 00:28:56,440 --> 00:28:58,603 already had an exoskeleton, 379 00:29:00,660 --> 00:29:02,630 but we still have no idea 380 00:29:02,630 --> 00:29:06,604 what those first insects actually looked like. 381 00:29:06,604 --> 00:29:10,200 (birds chirping) 382 00:29:10,200 --> 00:29:13,930 We can find a clue though in this lake 383 00:29:13,930 --> 00:29:16,485 on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. 384 00:29:16,485 --> 00:29:19,696 (dramatic music) 385 00:29:19,696 --> 00:29:22,670 (water gurgling) 386 00:29:22,670 --> 00:29:24,950 Sink below the surface 387 00:29:24,950 --> 00:29:27,080 and this small pool opens 388 00:29:27,080 --> 00:29:32,080 into a fast network of flooded caves a lost world, 389 00:29:38,345 --> 00:29:41,800 and in the deepest recesses hidden from all 390 00:29:41,800 --> 00:29:44,820 but the most intrepid scientists 391 00:29:44,820 --> 00:29:48,350 there are creatures that we thought until recently 392 00:29:48,350 --> 00:29:50,603 only existed as fossils. 393 00:29:53,251 --> 00:29:54,604 Remipedes. 394 00:29:54,604 --> 00:29:57,437 (dramatic music) 395 00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:10,340 They look like swimming centerpieces, 396 00:30:10,340 --> 00:30:11,943 but they're crustaceans. 397 00:30:12,990 --> 00:30:15,453 Although, not like any other on the planet. 398 00:30:20,890 --> 00:30:24,020 We know now that these particular crustaceans 399 00:30:24,020 --> 00:30:28,187 are the closest living relatives of all insects. 400 00:30:28,187 --> 00:30:30,840 (gentle music) 401 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:32,680 A glimpse of how the ancestors 402 00:30:32,680 --> 00:30:35,235 of insects might have appeared. 403 00:30:35,235 --> 00:30:37,902 (gentle music) 404 00:30:42,560 --> 00:30:45,060 They lived in an ancient ocean 405 00:30:45,060 --> 00:30:48,260 and had long bodies with lots of segments, 406 00:30:48,260 --> 00:30:50,683 each protected by an exoskeleton, 407 00:30:52,360 --> 00:30:54,973 and lots and lots of legs. 408 00:30:57,050 --> 00:30:58,870 Great for swimming, 409 00:30:58,870 --> 00:31:01,543 but just as good for walking on land. 410 00:31:05,530 --> 00:31:09,853 Armed with a waterproof and rigid case and legs for walking, 411 00:31:10,820 --> 00:31:12,980 creatures like these invaded land 412 00:31:12,980 --> 00:31:15,427 on three different occasions. 413 00:31:15,427 --> 00:31:19,230 (insect chittering) 414 00:31:19,230 --> 00:31:22,033 First, were the centipedes and millipedes, 415 00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:25,830 they kept all those legs 416 00:31:25,830 --> 00:31:28,503 somehow coordinating them to walk. 417 00:31:28,503 --> 00:31:33,503 (insect chittering) (upbeat music) 418 00:31:34,720 --> 00:31:38,033 Next on to dry land were the spiders and scorpions. 419 00:31:39,990 --> 00:31:43,600 They'd reduced hundreds of legs to just eight, 420 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:44,650 much more manageable. 421 00:31:45,988 --> 00:31:48,571 (upbeat music) 422 00:31:50,410 --> 00:31:53,123 Insects were the last to venture onto land. 423 00:31:55,170 --> 00:31:57,110 Last but not least. 424 00:31:57,110 --> 00:31:59,813 They soon outnumbered all the others. 425 00:31:59,813 --> 00:32:02,396 (upbeat music) 426 00:32:05,200 --> 00:32:10,193 Insects kept even fewer legs, just six. 427 00:32:11,170 --> 00:32:13,560 Yet, their legs are another vital part 428 00:32:13,560 --> 00:32:15,673 of the insect blueprint for success. 429 00:32:21,100 --> 00:32:23,883 Obviously, they're useful for walking or running, 430 00:32:25,290 --> 00:32:27,603 and a cockroach can certainly run. 431 00:32:29,100 --> 00:32:32,406 It's one of the fastest things on six legs. 432 00:32:32,406 --> 00:32:35,406 (fast-action music) 433 00:32:40,438 --> 00:32:41,790 (door creaks) 434 00:32:41,790 --> 00:32:45,362 To our eyes it's just a blur. 435 00:32:45,362 --> 00:32:48,445 (suspenseful music) 436 00:32:56,090 --> 00:32:59,863 But slowing it down 40 times reveals a neat trick. 437 00:33:02,730 --> 00:33:06,260 It keeps three legs on the ground at any one time 438 00:33:07,350 --> 00:33:09,390 forming a tripod 439 00:33:09,390 --> 00:33:12,063 the minimum number for a stable base. 440 00:33:14,530 --> 00:33:19,053 With six legs an insect steps from tripod to tripod, 441 00:33:20,750 --> 00:33:22,643 which keeps it rock steady. 442 00:33:25,880 --> 00:33:29,663 Their legs also give roaches all terrain capability, 443 00:33:37,070 --> 00:33:40,623 but just using legs for walking is a bit of a waste. 444 00:33:42,650 --> 00:33:45,026 They're much more useful than that. 445 00:33:45,026 --> 00:33:47,609 (gentle music) 446 00:33:50,509 --> 00:33:53,342 (birds chirping) 447 00:33:58,700 --> 00:34:02,443 Late winter in Namaqualand in Southern Africa, 448 00:34:04,140 --> 00:34:05,960 The rains have triggered one of the most 449 00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:08,720 spectacular displays of flowers 450 00:34:08,720 --> 00:34:10,537 anywhere on the planet. 451 00:34:10,537 --> 00:34:13,204 (bright music) 452 00:34:18,360 --> 00:34:21,010 Among them are twinspurs, 453 00:34:21,010 --> 00:34:22,770 which have two long tubes 454 00:34:22,770 --> 00:34:26,173 or spurs that extend below the flower. 455 00:34:28,670 --> 00:34:31,500 It's the favorite flower of one of the strangest 456 00:34:31,500 --> 00:34:33,373 looking bees in the world. 457 00:34:37,010 --> 00:34:41,433 A female oil bee has ridiculously long front legs. 458 00:34:42,820 --> 00:34:45,730 Much longer than the rest of her body, 459 00:34:45,730 --> 00:34:48,230 for a very good reason. 460 00:34:48,230 --> 00:34:50,960 (dramatic music) (bee buzzing) 461 00:34:50,960 --> 00:34:53,990 She collects oils made by twinspurs 462 00:34:53,990 --> 00:34:57,959 to mix with pollen to make food for her larva. 463 00:34:57,959 --> 00:35:00,792 (dramatic music) 464 00:35:01,750 --> 00:35:03,390 But the oil is only found 465 00:35:03,390 --> 00:35:05,600 at the very bottom of the two spurs 466 00:35:06,542 --> 00:35:08,150 (bee humming) 467 00:35:08,150 --> 00:35:12,143 where only a bee with really long legs can reach it. 468 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:17,640 Having two long legs, 469 00:35:17,640 --> 00:35:21,490 an oil bee can insert them into both spurs together 470 00:35:21,490 --> 00:35:24,234 and collect oil twice as quickly. 471 00:35:24,234 --> 00:35:27,067 (dramatic music) 472 00:35:32,750 --> 00:35:34,710 As complex a docking maneuver 473 00:35:34,710 --> 00:35:37,861 as any carried out by NASA astronauts. 474 00:35:37,861 --> 00:35:40,694 (dramatic music) 475 00:35:46,285 --> 00:35:49,118 (birds chirping) 476 00:35:51,229 --> 00:35:55,116 (owl calling) (insects chirping) 477 00:35:55,116 --> 00:35:58,033 (insects trilling) 478 00:36:01,050 --> 00:36:02,423 At the other extreme, 479 00:36:03,750 --> 00:36:06,840 mole crickets have converted their front legs 480 00:36:06,840 --> 00:36:10,163 into short but broad and powerful shovels. 481 00:36:14,510 --> 00:36:17,800 They look very much like the feet of moles. 482 00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:21,663 Clearly evolution isn't afraid to recycle a good idea. 483 00:36:27,120 --> 00:36:28,950 They can dig quickly 484 00:36:28,950 --> 00:36:32,071 excavating long burrows under the soil, 485 00:36:32,071 --> 00:36:34,738 (gentle music) 486 00:36:49,259 --> 00:36:52,210 and like moles they grab worms 487 00:36:52,210 --> 00:36:53,853 that break into their tunnels. 488 00:36:55,160 --> 00:36:58,372 A welcome addition to their diet of roots. 489 00:36:58,372 --> 00:37:00,872 (tense music) 490 00:37:11,185 --> 00:37:12,640 (insects trilling) 491 00:37:12,640 --> 00:37:14,930 The great thing about having six legs 492 00:37:14,930 --> 00:37:16,870 is that the front two can be converted 493 00:37:16,870 --> 00:37:19,263 into all manner of useful tools. 494 00:37:20,390 --> 00:37:22,533 Still leaving four to walk on, 495 00:37:23,480 --> 00:37:24,450 (suspenseful music) 496 00:37:24,450 --> 00:37:26,610 not as stable as six, 497 00:37:26,610 --> 00:37:28,742 but still no problem. 498 00:37:28,742 --> 00:37:31,325 (tense music) 499 00:37:32,950 --> 00:37:36,780 Mantis have converted their front legs into Jack knives 500 00:37:36,780 --> 00:37:38,523 edged with sharp teeth. 501 00:37:40,610 --> 00:37:42,743 The weapons of a lethal hunter. 502 00:37:46,920 --> 00:37:48,560 Like any good hunter, 503 00:37:48,560 --> 00:37:51,210 it keeps everything clean and polished. 504 00:37:51,210 --> 00:37:52,551 Ready for action. 505 00:37:52,551 --> 00:37:53,882 (tense music) 506 00:37:53,882 --> 00:37:56,799 (insects chirping) 507 00:38:00,810 --> 00:38:02,010 And with sharp eyes, 508 00:38:02,010 --> 00:38:04,668 it can spot the slightest movement. 509 00:38:04,668 --> 00:38:07,418 (dramatic music) 510 00:38:09,843 --> 00:38:11,308 (body crunching) 511 00:38:11,308 --> 00:38:14,141 (dramatic music) 512 00:38:29,413 --> 00:38:33,723 The rainforest is no place to be a small tasty insect, 513 00:38:39,348 --> 00:38:41,540 (dramatic music) 514 00:38:41,540 --> 00:38:44,623 and neither is this tranquil looking pond. 515 00:38:45,773 --> 00:38:48,606 (dramatic music) 516 00:38:52,480 --> 00:38:56,153 A water stick insect has evolved the same technique. 517 00:39:04,702 --> 00:39:07,643 Like the mantis, it has sharp eyes, 518 00:39:07,643 --> 00:39:10,726 (suspenseful music) 519 00:39:14,230 --> 00:39:18,059 and front legs designed to grab prey. 520 00:39:18,059 --> 00:39:20,809 (water gurgling) 521 00:39:22,030 --> 00:39:23,930 It also has a sharp beak 522 00:39:23,930 --> 00:39:27,563 that stabs through the exoskeleton of its lunch. 523 00:39:32,060 --> 00:39:34,780 It injects toxins and digestive juices 524 00:39:34,780 --> 00:39:37,308 to dissolve the body of its prey. 525 00:39:37,308 --> 00:39:39,680 (heartbeat thumping) 526 00:39:39,680 --> 00:39:43,284 Turning it into a hearty soup. 527 00:39:43,284 --> 00:39:46,034 (water gurgling) 528 00:39:52,852 --> 00:39:55,685 (birds chirping) 529 00:39:58,460 --> 00:39:59,770 Walking on water 530 00:40:00,780 --> 00:40:04,313 doesn't need a miracle in the insect world. 531 00:40:04,313 --> 00:40:06,980 (gentle music) 532 00:40:09,950 --> 00:40:13,313 Water striders stride over water. 533 00:40:18,310 --> 00:40:21,370 Their legs are so densely covered in hairs, 534 00:40:21,370 --> 00:40:23,090 they're un-wettable, 535 00:40:23,090 --> 00:40:25,838 so they don't break through the surface film. 536 00:40:25,838 --> 00:40:28,671 (birds chirping) 537 00:40:34,670 --> 00:40:37,903 The trick to surviving here is regular maintenance. 538 00:40:46,780 --> 00:40:49,050 Any dirt would destroy the waterproofing 539 00:40:49,050 --> 00:40:51,199 and the strider would sink. 540 00:40:51,199 --> 00:40:53,866 (gentle music) 541 00:41:01,900 --> 00:41:04,503 The surface film is a busy place. 542 00:41:08,350 --> 00:41:11,960 A water measurer doesn't so much stride as use 543 00:41:11,960 --> 00:41:16,820 long thin legs to step carefully over the surface, 544 00:41:16,820 --> 00:41:18,603 like a novice ice skater. 545 00:41:22,600 --> 00:41:25,123 For any creature not specially equipped, 546 00:41:26,120 --> 00:41:28,867 the water surface is a lethal trap. 547 00:41:28,867 --> 00:41:31,430 (tense music) 548 00:41:31,430 --> 00:41:35,183 Even large insects are held fast by the surface film, 549 00:41:37,390 --> 00:41:40,010 and struggling just catches the attention 550 00:41:40,010 --> 00:41:41,950 of the water walkers. 551 00:41:41,950 --> 00:41:45,033 (suspenseful music) 552 00:41:54,160 --> 00:41:57,763 Water stripers only walk on their four back legs, 553 00:42:00,030 --> 00:42:03,903 so their front legs can be used to subdue trapped prey. 554 00:42:05,530 --> 00:42:09,479 It doesn't take long for a dinnertime scuffle to break out. 555 00:42:09,479 --> 00:42:12,312 (dramatic music) 556 00:42:18,050 --> 00:42:22,013 Water measurers don't have the stride's powerful front legs, 557 00:42:23,260 --> 00:42:26,873 so they wait until the prey has almost drowned. 558 00:42:30,460 --> 00:42:33,650 This means the desperate struggles of a trapped insect 559 00:42:33,650 --> 00:42:37,227 won't damage the measurers thin legs and body, 560 00:42:37,227 --> 00:42:39,894 (gentle music) 561 00:42:44,731 --> 00:42:46,814 Then like a tiny leopard, 562 00:42:48,179 --> 00:42:50,500 it hauls its prey up a stem 563 00:42:51,860 --> 00:42:54,750 away from the frenzy on the pond surface 564 00:42:57,990 --> 00:43:02,067 and away from the dangers that lurk beneath. 565 00:43:02,067 --> 00:43:04,290 (birds chirping) 566 00:43:04,290 --> 00:43:05,830 The water walkers might have 567 00:43:05,830 --> 00:43:08,397 mastered life on the surface film, 568 00:43:08,397 --> 00:43:09,920 (water gurgling) 569 00:43:09,920 --> 00:43:13,823 but even they must be wary of monsters that swim below. 570 00:43:14,877 --> 00:43:17,383 (tense music) 571 00:43:17,383 --> 00:43:20,216 (birds chirping) 572 00:43:24,860 --> 00:43:27,160 Backswimmers are also predators 573 00:43:27,160 --> 00:43:28,920 big enough to kill striders 574 00:43:29,820 --> 00:43:32,041 but only if they can catch one. 575 00:43:32,041 --> 00:43:34,146 (dramatic music) 576 00:43:34,146 --> 00:43:36,622 (water gurgling) 577 00:43:36,622 --> 00:43:39,372 (birds chirping) 578 00:43:41,220 --> 00:43:44,490 Striders can also use their long legs to jump, 579 00:43:44,490 --> 00:43:48,382 and for them the surface film is like a trampoline. 580 00:43:48,382 --> 00:43:51,218 (birds chirping) 581 00:43:51,218 --> 00:43:53,817 (water gurgling) 582 00:43:53,817 --> 00:43:56,610 Backswimmers have turned their back legs 583 00:43:56,610 --> 00:43:59,483 into oars for rowing through the water. 584 00:44:04,410 --> 00:44:06,250 The paddles on their hind legs 585 00:44:06,250 --> 00:44:08,850 are made of a fringe of hairs 586 00:44:08,850 --> 00:44:12,403 that opens out on the power stroke to provide thrust, 587 00:44:15,780 --> 00:44:20,373 and folds down on the recovery stroke to reduce resistance. 588 00:44:22,540 --> 00:44:26,412 Just as rowers feather their oars on the return stroke. 589 00:44:26,412 --> 00:44:29,245 (dramatic music) 590 00:44:31,750 --> 00:44:35,590 With legs this powerful and a little bit of luck, 591 00:44:35,590 --> 00:44:38,790 backswimmers can drag an unwary water strider 592 00:44:38,790 --> 00:44:42,523 below the surface, (suspenseful music) 593 00:44:45,040 --> 00:44:47,103 where a predator becomes prey. 594 00:44:58,227 --> 00:45:01,060 (birds chirping) 595 00:45:02,240 --> 00:45:04,470 Versatile legs played a big part 596 00:45:04,470 --> 00:45:06,723 in the insect success story, 597 00:45:07,810 --> 00:45:09,790 but another innovation really 598 00:45:09,790 --> 00:45:12,372 launched them to world domination. 599 00:45:12,372 --> 00:45:15,039 (upbeat music) 600 00:45:21,260 --> 00:45:24,087 They discovered the power of flight. 601 00:45:24,087 --> 00:45:26,754 (upbeat music) 602 00:45:37,580 --> 00:45:40,173 Not that long after they conquered dry land, 603 00:45:41,940 --> 00:45:44,053 insects conquered the air. 604 00:45:44,951 --> 00:45:47,534 (upbeat music) 605 00:45:58,772 --> 00:46:01,610 (birds chirping) 606 00:46:01,610 --> 00:46:05,003 Every year around the margins of ponds and lakes, 607 00:46:06,070 --> 00:46:08,666 that momentous event is replayed. 608 00:46:08,666 --> 00:46:12,010 (dramatic music) (water gurgling) 609 00:46:12,010 --> 00:46:16,113 A dragonfly larva leaves its home beneath the surface. 610 00:46:21,454 --> 00:46:26,454 (gentle music) (birds chirping) 611 00:46:31,229 --> 00:46:33,729 It was the terror of the pond. 612 00:46:41,340 --> 00:46:44,700 It will soon become a master of the air. 613 00:46:45,739 --> 00:46:50,739 (gentle music) (birds chirping) 614 00:47:33,110 --> 00:47:36,020 Its wings are structures of delicate beauty, 615 00:47:36,020 --> 00:47:38,853 (dramatic music) 616 00:47:41,190 --> 00:47:43,940 shaped to harness aerodynamic forces 617 00:47:43,940 --> 00:47:47,398 in ways that we are only just starting to understand. 618 00:47:47,398 --> 00:47:50,231 (dramatic music) 619 00:47:57,394 --> 00:48:00,477 (suspenseful music) 620 00:48:04,960 --> 00:48:06,620 Wings played a major part 621 00:48:06,620 --> 00:48:08,993 in the insects rise to domination, 622 00:48:12,060 --> 00:48:14,353 and not just by lifting them into the air. 623 00:48:18,721 --> 00:48:21,554 (birds chirping) 624 00:48:23,020 --> 00:48:25,770 Atlas moths have some of the largest wings 625 00:48:25,770 --> 00:48:27,483 of any living insect, 626 00:48:29,900 --> 00:48:32,350 and like all moths and butterflies 627 00:48:32,350 --> 00:48:34,290 they're covered in tiny scales 628 00:48:34,290 --> 00:48:36,383 that form intricate patterns. 629 00:48:38,330 --> 00:48:40,520 The markings on these wing tips 630 00:48:40,520 --> 00:48:43,713 bear an uncanny resemblance to a cobra. 631 00:48:45,610 --> 00:48:47,470 When viewed up close, 632 00:48:47,470 --> 00:48:49,630 maybe it's enough to convince predators 633 00:48:49,630 --> 00:48:53,013 to leave well alone just in case, 634 00:48:56,700 --> 00:49:00,560 but from the start the most important thing about wings 635 00:49:00,560 --> 00:49:03,683 is that they allowed insects to take to the sky. 636 00:49:05,364 --> 00:49:08,114 (dramatic music) 637 00:49:14,232 --> 00:49:19,232 (upbeat music) (birds chirping) 638 00:49:19,660 --> 00:49:21,170 The first insect flyers looked 639 00:49:21,170 --> 00:49:24,330 a little like modern dragonflies, 640 00:49:24,330 --> 00:49:25,943 though many were much larger. 641 00:49:27,240 --> 00:49:29,433 Some had a wings span of over two feet. 642 00:49:32,180 --> 00:49:35,748 Those ancient swamps must have been amazing to see. 643 00:49:35,748 --> 00:49:40,220 (gentle music) (birds chirping) 644 00:49:40,220 --> 00:49:43,210 Even today dawn over the marshes 645 00:49:43,210 --> 00:49:45,902 reveals a spectacular site. 646 00:49:45,902 --> 00:49:48,485 (serene music) 647 00:49:49,482 --> 00:49:52,315 (birds chirping) 648 00:49:55,800 --> 00:49:57,950 These dragonflies have spent the night 649 00:49:57,950 --> 00:49:59,113 in this patch of reeds. 650 00:50:03,940 --> 00:50:05,843 They chose their roost carefully. 651 00:50:07,181 --> 00:50:09,833 It catches the first rays of the morning sun, 652 00:50:11,310 --> 00:50:13,000 warming up the dragonflies 653 00:50:13,000 --> 00:50:15,303 until they're ready for flight. 654 00:50:15,303 --> 00:50:17,431 (gentle music) 655 00:50:17,431 --> 00:50:20,264 (birds chirping) 656 00:50:33,770 --> 00:50:35,850 Insects had the air to themselves 657 00:50:35,850 --> 00:50:38,743 for 140 million years. 658 00:50:40,730 --> 00:50:44,779 Until they were joined by Pterosaurs, bats, and birds. 659 00:50:44,779 --> 00:50:47,529 (birds chirping) 660 00:50:50,070 --> 00:50:51,760 All these creatures have a very 661 00:50:51,760 --> 00:50:54,450 different body plan from insects. 662 00:50:54,450 --> 00:50:56,393 They have an internal skeleton. 663 00:50:58,520 --> 00:51:00,580 This allows them to grow much larger 664 00:51:00,580 --> 00:51:02,713 than even the biggest insects. 665 00:51:05,300 --> 00:51:08,530 These new super-sized flyers soon made 666 00:51:08,530 --> 00:51:11,663 short work of the ancient giant insects. 667 00:51:11,663 --> 00:51:14,496 (birds chirping) 668 00:51:17,440 --> 00:51:21,795 Today insects still face finally honed aerial predators. 669 00:51:21,795 --> 00:51:26,470 (dramatic music) (bird calling) 670 00:51:26,470 --> 00:51:28,610 Hobbies are small falcons 671 00:51:28,610 --> 00:51:30,150 with the aerobatic skills 672 00:51:30,150 --> 00:51:32,770 to hunt down dragonflies in flight. 673 00:51:32,770 --> 00:51:35,603 (dramatic music) 674 00:51:38,550 --> 00:51:42,444 But insects have also sharpened their own aerial ability. 675 00:51:42,444 --> 00:51:45,277 (dramatic music) 676 00:51:50,610 --> 00:51:53,976 A hobby misses as many as it catches. 677 00:51:53,976 --> 00:51:58,976 (birds chirping) (dramatic music) 678 00:52:00,800 --> 00:52:04,813 Insects evolved flight 400 million years ago. 679 00:52:06,800 --> 00:52:10,133 They've had plenty of time to perfect the art of flying. 680 00:52:15,970 --> 00:52:19,130 Hummingbird hawk-moths fly and hover 681 00:52:19,130 --> 00:52:22,188 with all the skill of hummingbirds. 682 00:52:22,188 --> 00:52:24,361 (gentle music) 683 00:52:24,361 --> 00:52:27,194 (birds chirping) 684 00:52:39,380 --> 00:52:42,150 But as good as these moths are, 685 00:52:42,150 --> 00:52:43,373 they're not the best. 686 00:52:45,610 --> 00:52:49,642 The top guns of the insect world are flies. 687 00:52:49,642 --> 00:52:52,260 (fly buzzing) 688 00:52:52,260 --> 00:52:54,200 Even the humble green bottle 689 00:52:54,200 --> 00:52:56,982 can outperform most other insects. 690 00:52:56,982 --> 00:53:00,280 (flies buzzing) 691 00:53:00,280 --> 00:53:03,317 Males chase and grab females and flight, 692 00:53:07,040 --> 00:53:10,495 even if that means flying upside down. 693 00:53:10,495 --> 00:53:15,495 (dramatic music) (flies buzzing) 694 00:53:20,050 --> 00:53:23,840 They're called flies for a very good reason. 695 00:53:23,840 --> 00:53:26,693 They can really, really fly. 696 00:53:30,600 --> 00:53:32,290 Look close enough, 697 00:53:32,290 --> 00:53:35,383 and this small world is filled with wonder. 698 00:53:39,430 --> 00:53:41,640 Even the most familiar, 699 00:53:41,640 --> 00:53:45,283 the most unloved reveal hidden beauty, 700 00:53:46,226 --> 00:53:49,059 (dramatic music) 701 00:53:50,950 --> 00:53:55,950 and we've hardly even started to explore "Planet Insect". 702 00:53:56,015 --> 00:53:58,765 (dramatic music) 703 00:54:04,820 --> 00:54:07,403 (upbeat music) 704 00:54:37,544 --> 00:54:40,211 (bright music)