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The bees' lives depend on teamwork.
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00:00:24,360 --> 00:00:29,680
Animals can sometimes reach such
numbers they defy our understanding.
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00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:34,040
They seem to rise up
and invade our lives.
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00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:39,240
They become super swarms,
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00:00:39,240 --> 00:00:42,880
so immense
they're impossible to ignore.
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00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:49,520
From the outside,
they can be the stuff of nightmares.
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00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:52,520
From the inside,
they're a thing of beauty.
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00:00:53,640 --> 00:00:56,160
As we enter the heart of the swarm,
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we'll discover what happens
when they meet our world.
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00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:15,760
It's 1995 at a football match
between Costa Rica and Italy.
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Killer bees stage a pitch
invasion of a different kind.
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00:01:21,960 --> 00:01:23,800
The players' panic
is understandable.
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00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:26,440
These bees have been known to kill.
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00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:30,640
To understand what the swarm was
thinking, we recreated the encounter
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00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:33,960
and slowed it down to match
the bees' reaction times.
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00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:50,120
In Costa Rica, pitch invasions by
killer bees are surprisingly common.
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00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:53,280
Swarms like to make a beeline
across open areas,
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00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:56,480
which can bring them
right into the field of play.
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00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:15,120
By showing the action
in slow motion,
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00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:17,280
it becomes clear
that the footballers
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are making the situation worse.
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00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:23,640
Swiping at the bees is
a complete waste of time.
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00:02:23,640 --> 00:02:28,160
Their reactions are so fast, they
can easily swerve out of the way.
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It's also a very bad idea.
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00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:34,400
Movement not only makes them
angrier,
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00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:36,240
it gives them a target
to aim for.
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00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:46,800
The bees' lives depend on teamwork.
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00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:50,400
Retaliation is swift
and devastating.
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00:02:57,760 --> 00:03:00,520
Although each bee can sting
only once,
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00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:03,640
the sting left behind pumps out
a pheromone,
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that whips nearby bees
into a fighting frenzy.
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00:03:15,320 --> 00:03:20,520
They join the attack and each new
sting brings in more angry bees.
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00:03:25,600 --> 00:03:28,840
Unlike honey bees, killer
bees rarely give up a fight.
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00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:32,080
But this swarm has other
things on its mind.
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It's house-hunting.
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00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:39,920
Swarms arise
when a hive gets too big.
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00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:42,880
They view the camera
as a possible new home.
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00:03:42,880 --> 00:03:46,440
Bees are sensitive
to electrical fields.
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00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:49,320
That seems to make
the camera even more desirable.
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00:04:15,520 --> 00:04:18,560
A killer bee sting is no worse
than that of a honey bee,
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00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:21,040
but hundreds will sting
at any one time
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00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:24,480
and it's this behaviour
that makes them dangerous.
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00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:39,400
Lying down is
a surprisingly good idea.
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00:04:39,400 --> 00:04:41,400
The players merge with the ground
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00:04:41,400 --> 00:04:44,840
and the bees simply fly over them,
unable to find a target.
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SIRENS WAIL
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00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:56,040
Killer bees were accidentally
created in Brazil in 1957
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00:04:56,040 --> 00:04:59,640
by crossing honey bees
with aggressive African bees.
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00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:02,280
Since then, they've spread
northwards
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00:05:02,280 --> 00:05:05,040
as far as
the southern states of America.
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00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:12,160
But there is a swarm that has
created far more devastation
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00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:13,480
than any killer bees.
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00:05:18,280 --> 00:05:21,200
Morocco, December 2004.
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00:05:21,200 --> 00:05:26,440
One of the oldest swarms
on the planet is on the move.
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One of the ten plagues of Egypt,
they still invade one fifth
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of the world's land surface
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and affect one tenth of the human
population.
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00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:39,200
Even today,
meeting a swarm is unnerving
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as this home video footage shows.
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00:05:41,600 --> 00:05:43,520
Eurgh!
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00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:45,760
That's crazy. They're grasshoppers.
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00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:47,760
Why just now?
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00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:51,200
Mommy! This is crazy.
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00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:57,520
Oh, my God, there are going
to be millions of these
and they're all flying off.
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00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:00,200
There's so many of them
just swarming over here.
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00:06:00,200 --> 00:06:04,360
They're still just coming, across
the road on both sides of the car.
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00:06:04,360 --> 00:06:07,080
Oh, my God! ..Complete
infestation...
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00:06:07,080 --> 00:06:08,480
Argh! Mommy! Mommy!
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00:06:08,480 --> 00:06:11,280
Swarm locusts start life
as hoppers,
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00:06:11,280 --> 00:06:13,920
the offspring of a solitary locust,
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00:06:13,920 --> 00:06:16,600
forced together by a shortage of
food.
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00:06:21,720 --> 00:06:25,760
The hoppers crowd together
to create an insect army.
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00:06:32,800 --> 00:06:37,520
It's an army that
marches on its stomach,
eating everything in its path.
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00:06:50,360 --> 00:06:52,800
When they run out of food,
they march some more,
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00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:55,320
crossing open ground
in vast battalions,
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00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:58,880
travelling up to 1.5 miles each day.
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00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:08,000
They stay as a ground
army for four weeks,
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00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:10,600
before changing into an air force.
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00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:18,400
Now, they really chew up the miles.
An average swarm contains billions
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00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:22,120
of locusts and the biggest outbreaks
can infest half a continent.
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00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:28,680
They're almost impossible
to control.
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00:07:33,000 --> 00:07:38,320
Seen for the first time from inside
the swarm, it's easy to see why.
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00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:46,800
As they fly,
they synchronise their wing beats.
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00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:50,160
This reduces turbulence,
making their flying more efficient.
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00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:04,640
Like fighter pilots,
they fly in perfect formation.
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00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:06,920
But here, one billion locusts
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00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:10,000
are covering an area the size of
Heathrow.
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00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:15,440
It would be an air traffic
controller's nightmare,
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00:08:15,440 --> 00:08:17,440
but the locusts maintain formation
90
00:08:17,440 --> 00:08:19,640
by keeping a set distance
from each other.
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00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:23,120
They even have anti-crash detectors,
to avoid mid-air collisions.
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00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:26,800
They react six times faster
than a human pilot,
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00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:28,640
so even in such crowded air space,
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00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:31,680
split-second manoeuvres
can get them out of trouble.
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00:08:44,320 --> 00:08:48,520
Such state of the art flight
systems make locusts
a force to be reckoned with.
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00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:08,080
When they reach the human world,
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00:09:08,080 --> 00:09:10,240
they're almost impossible
to control.
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00:09:15,160 --> 00:09:17,560
They eat their own weight in food
in a day.
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00:09:17,560 --> 00:09:25,120
A large swarm can get through
200,000 tonnes, enough to feed
half a billion people.
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00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:40,360
Locusts aren't the only ancient
swarm that still plagues us today.
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00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:54,800
The house mouse originated in Asia
and spread with human agriculture.
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00:09:54,800 --> 00:09:59,000
When conditions are right,
they can quickly become plagues.
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00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:06,240
In South Australia,
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00:10:06,240 --> 00:10:09,800
mice outbreaks happen
on average once every ten years.
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00:10:21,800 --> 00:10:25,440
They erupt after a period of wet
weather creates bumper harvests.
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00:10:25,440 --> 00:10:29,320
By the time they're discovered,
it's usually too late.
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00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:40,600
It's every farmer's
living nightmare.
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00:10:56,960 --> 00:11:02,600
One unfortunate farmer filmed the
actual moment she realised her pest
problem was out of control.
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00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:16,720
Oh! They're in my boots! Eugh!
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00:11:16,720 --> 00:11:18,960
Concerned for
the safety of her pigs,
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00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:20,680
she throws caution to the wind.
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00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:29,600
Yuk! Oh!
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00:11:30,640 --> 00:11:35,840
SHE SCREAMS
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00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:49,080
Among the pens, the mice found
a limitless supply of food
and safety from predators.
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00:11:49,080 --> 00:11:52,560
It didn't take long for their
numbers to go through the roof.
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00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:18,000
The secret of their success is
a rampant sex life
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00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:20,480
that turns breeding into a weapon.
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00:12:20,480 --> 00:12:24,280
A pair of mice
can have babies every three weeks.
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00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:29,160
These, in turn, can breed just five
weeks later and their offspring,
five weeks after that.
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00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:33,040
Unchecked,
the numbers just keep growing.
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00:12:39,160 --> 00:12:41,920
In theory, one mouse
and her offspring
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00:12:41,920 --> 00:12:43,960
can produce 3,000 mice a year.
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00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:48,440
With few predators to control them,
theory rapidly comes fact.
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00:12:56,040 --> 00:13:00,440
In one outbreak, 35 million mice
were killed in just one month.
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00:13:00,440 --> 00:13:03,440
Even this hardly dented
their numbers.
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00:13:10,040 --> 00:13:14,320
Eventually, stress and
disease take their toll
and the population crashes.
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00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:19,120
For every 1,000 mice,
just two will remain.
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00:13:19,120 --> 00:13:21,160
But they're breeding machines,
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00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:24,000
ready to surprise us
at any time in the future.
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00:13:27,320 --> 00:13:31,080
Some swarms are more predictable.
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00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:41,040
This eerie invasion
happens like clockwork
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00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:43,720
once a year
in the Midwest of America.
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00:13:43,720 --> 00:13:47,760
It can be so dense,
it slows traffic to a crawl.
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00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:55,160
The swarms can smother an area of
4,500 square miles
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00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:57,320
and even show up on radar.
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00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:07,320
These are mayflies.
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00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:09,920
They have emerged
from the Mississippi River,
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00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:12,520
where they lived as larvae
for the past year.
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00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:15,960
They will exist as adults
for only a day.
140
00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:27,920
Their cue is a water temperature
of exactly 17.5 degrees centigrade.
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00:14:27,920 --> 00:14:31,640
They hardly have a chance to
try out their new body and wings
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00:14:31,640 --> 00:14:33,440
before it's all change again.
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00:14:35,680 --> 00:14:38,360
For some unknown reason,
the body splits
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00:14:38,360 --> 00:14:41,040
and an almost
identical mayfly emerges.
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00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:44,200
The previous form may have
existed for less than an hour.
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00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:54,360
They soon spread their second set of
wings, this time in a mating flight.
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00:14:56,480 --> 00:14:59,840
By emerging together,
there's safety in numbers.
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00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:01,960
Nothing could eat this many.
149
00:15:01,960 --> 00:15:05,480
They soon return to the Mississippi
to lay their eggs.
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00:15:10,080 --> 00:15:14,720
Each female lays up to 8,000, making
up for the billions of mayflies
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00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:17,320
that never make it back
to the river.
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00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:25,960
It's easy to get lost. They navigate
using the moon as a reference point.
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00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:27,080
But near towns,
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00:15:27,080 --> 00:15:31,120
this ancient navigational system
is next to useless.
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00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:36,760
Artificial moons are everywhere
and these beckoning lights cause
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00:15:36,760 --> 00:15:39,200
mayflies to become
hopelessly confused.
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00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:48,200
The road also reflects light
like the river,
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00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:51,320
attracting the mayflies
down to lay their eggs.
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00:15:56,560 --> 00:16:03,200
As the mayflies are lured
further into town, they spread
their own haze of confusion.
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00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:10,440
This gas station is being attacked
by something.
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00:16:15,320 --> 00:16:17,840
I don't know what
those bugs could possibly be.
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00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:24,760
And that lady won't
even get out of her car.
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00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:26,400
That is really creepy.
164
00:16:28,800 --> 00:16:32,080
But not everyone's so mystified.
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00:16:32,080 --> 00:16:34,480
The locals have seen it all before.
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00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:37,680
It's mayflies' breeding day...
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00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:40,240
in South Ballston Virginia.
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00:16:40,240 --> 00:16:45,320
I don't know if you can see this,
but this is mayflies, and they
come out in the gajillions!
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00:16:45,320 --> 00:16:48,440
And these things,
they come out like this
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00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:50,600
on certain days, all at once
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00:16:50,600 --> 00:16:53,680
and they cover the streets
of downtown South Ballston,
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00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:57,680
and probably just about anywhere
where the damn river runs through.
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00:16:57,680 --> 00:17:00,840
It sounds like the wind
is blowing out here,
because there's so many of them.
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00:17:00,840 --> 00:17:04,360
It's just amazing,
you just wouldn't believe it.
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00:17:04,360 --> 00:17:07,440
There are certainly huge numbers,
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00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:12,120
an estimated 18 trillion emerge
for one night only.
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00:17:12,120 --> 00:17:15,360
3,000 times
the world's human population.
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00:17:15,360 --> 00:17:19,200
Many fly straight to
the bright lights of the city,
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00:17:19,200 --> 00:17:22,760
10,000 may cover a single neon sign.
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00:17:26,360 --> 00:17:30,760
By extraordinary coincidence,
the invasion often coincides
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00:17:30,760 --> 00:17:34,400
with one of America's most
important celebrations -
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00:17:34,400 --> 00:17:35,880
Independence Day.
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00:17:38,120 --> 00:17:42,120
As crowds fill the streets
of La Crosse, Wisconsin,
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00:17:42,120 --> 00:17:46,400
they are outnumbered by mayflies
25 million to one.
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00:17:50,640 --> 00:17:55,360
Stand too close to a light and
you certainly know it's mayfly day.
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00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:04,520
Fortunately, the mayflies
are totally harmless.
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00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:08,480
They have no mouth parts, so they
can't even feed, let alone bite.
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00:18:08,480 --> 00:18:10,480
To us, they seem out of control,
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00:18:10,480 --> 00:18:13,840
but inside the swarm,
it's a different picture.
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00:18:16,880 --> 00:18:19,120
These angelic forms
easily avoid each other,
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00:18:19,120 --> 00:18:21,760
even in the thickest gathering.
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00:18:36,360 --> 00:18:39,720
As America celebrates
its independence,
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00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:43,280
the mayflies enjoy
the last day of their life.
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00:19:05,120 --> 00:19:10,520
Bird swarms invade our cities too,
a fact which many find unnerving.
195
00:19:10,520 --> 00:19:13,200
There's some of them. Oh, my God!
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00:19:13,200 --> 00:19:16,640
It's like The Birds, it's like
the invasion of The Birds over here.
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00:19:16,640 --> 00:19:18,720
Look at this!
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00:19:18,720 --> 00:19:21,920
We're driving through them.
199
00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:25,560
I have never in my life
experienced this.
200
00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:29,000
Let's get out.
I don't know, Daddy can get out.
201
00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:32,480
The birds are everywhere.
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00:19:32,480 --> 00:19:35,000
Is this a phenomenon, or...?
Ooh, my gosh!
203
00:19:37,120 --> 00:19:38,840
I'm very shocked at this.
204
00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:42,080
I don't understand
what's going on here.
205
00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:45,080
I think this is like something
that happens
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00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:48,080
before like a big earthquake
or something.
207
00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:02,320
In recent years, huge flocks of
roosting birds have become a common
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00:20:02,320 --> 00:20:08,120
sight in many cities, but nowhere do
they reach the numbers seen in Rome.
209
00:20:08,120 --> 00:20:12,480
Here, they have become a super
swarm that gets bigger year on year.
210
00:20:15,280 --> 00:20:17,960
Ten million starlings flock together
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00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:22,000
to create the most astonishing
aerial display in nature.
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00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:01,400
These spectacular aerial displays
are seen
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00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:03,480
between October and February,
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00:21:03,480 --> 00:21:07,360
when birds pour into Rome
from all over northern Europe.
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00:21:20,280 --> 00:21:22,760
To create such perfect synchrony,
216
00:21:22,760 --> 00:21:27,000
it was once thought that the birds
might use telepathic communication.
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00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:31,920
But in reality, the birds react
13 times faster than any person.
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00:21:31,920 --> 00:21:35,600
They turn in exact synchrony
with their nearest neighbours,
219
00:21:35,600 --> 00:21:40,760
but the tiniest delay in their
reflexes help create these
mesmerising waves in the sky.
220
00:21:54,360 --> 00:21:58,320
Until recently, the spectacle
could only be seen from the ground.
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00:21:58,320 --> 00:22:03,160
Now it's possible to take cameras
into the swarms and fly among them.
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00:22:31,160 --> 00:22:36,000
This aerial ballet acts as a beacon
to others still entering the city.
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00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:39,960
Smaller parties join the bigger
flocks, increasing their numbers.
224
00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:45,000
As they swirl in the sky,
they collectively make decisions on
where they should spend the night.
225
00:22:53,280 --> 00:22:57,040
After an hour of pirouetting,
the birds dive downwards,
226
00:22:57,040 --> 00:23:00,160
having decided together
where they will roost.
227
00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:11,240
Birds are drawn to cities
because they're warmer than
the surrounding countryside.
228
00:23:11,240 --> 00:23:13,480
Rome, with its balmy
Mediterranean climate,
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00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:16,280
is an especially popular
destination.
230
00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:24,040
But the city pays a heavy price
for hosting this incredible air
show.
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00:23:29,480 --> 00:23:32,760
Each night, ten million birds
produce
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00:23:32,760 --> 00:23:37,160
seven tons of excrement, playing
havoc with the paintwork of cars.
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00:23:39,120 --> 00:23:41,920
As the birds settle down
for the night,
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00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:44,520
there is a constant rain
falling below.
235
00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:51,840
Slippery roads and pavements
cause accidents too,
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00:23:51,840 --> 00:23:54,080
it's a health and safety nightmare.
237
00:23:55,920 --> 00:23:59,360
But the starlings don't
have it all their own way.
238
00:24:15,440 --> 00:24:18,880
They may look like extras
from a sci-fi B-movie,
239
00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:22,120
but these people really are
wearing their work clothes.
240
00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:30,840
They are starling busters,
hired to clear the streets
of this urban menace.
241
00:24:33,080 --> 00:24:35,560
Their weapon of choice
is a loudspeaker.
242
00:24:35,560 --> 00:24:41,200
BIRDS SCREECHING
243
00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:46,160
It plays back a starling's
alarm call, amplified 100 times.
244
00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:56,400
For these birds,
there is simply nothing scarier.
245
00:24:56,400 --> 00:25:02,600
This roost of 100,000 starlings
will have to up sticks and
find somewhere else to roost.
246
00:25:02,600 --> 00:25:07,200
This bizarre experiment has been
running for the last 12 years.
247
00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:09,240
It certainly moves the starlings,
248
00:25:09,240 --> 00:25:12,280
but Rome offers plenty of
alternative accommodation
249
00:25:12,280 --> 00:25:15,120
and the number of winter visitors
keeps rising.
250
00:25:17,800 --> 00:25:22,320
Some swarms only invade
our cities once in a generation.
251
00:25:25,920 --> 00:25:30,400
It's July 2008,
and in the suburbs of Cincinnati,
252
00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:33,840
an alien invasion is about to begin.
253
00:25:49,480 --> 00:25:53,080
These periodic cicadas have lived
deep underground
254
00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:58,880
for the last 17 years, but now,
under the cover of darkness,
255
00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:01,120
they start to emerge.
256
00:26:01,120 --> 00:26:04,600
Across vast areas of the state
of Ohio,
257
00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:08,960
ten billion cicadas
join the alien invasion.
258
00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:18,640
They have spent their subterranean
lives sucking the sap
259
00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:20,880
from the roots of trees.
260
00:26:25,360 --> 00:26:27,840
Now, in the 17th year,
when the ground warms
261
00:26:27,840 --> 00:26:32,120
to 18 degrees centigrade,
they all come to the surface.
262
00:26:33,760 --> 00:26:38,920
They make their way
towards the nearest tree
and immediately start to climb.
263
00:26:47,360 --> 00:26:50,600
Their marching orders are
genetically programmed
264
00:26:50,600 --> 00:26:52,560
and so is their sense of timing.
265
00:26:57,360 --> 00:27:01,360
But genetics couldn't predict
the changes made by those
living in the world above.
266
00:27:05,000 --> 00:27:07,920
These cicadas are the lucky ones.
267
00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:13,280
Each year, more of the surface
becomes concreted over,
leaving millions trapped beneath.
268
00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:18,840
It's Memorial Day.
269
00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:22,480
In the 17 years the cicadas
have spent underground,
270
00:27:22,480 --> 00:27:26,240
America has fought three wars
and had three Presidents.
271
00:27:26,240 --> 00:27:29,120
And the human world
has been transformed.
272
00:27:33,760 --> 00:27:36,160
With people absorbed
in the commemorations,
273
00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:38,960
the cicadas go mostly unnoticed.
274
00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:43,720
But all this is about to change.
275
00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:54,240
The cicada nymphs break out
of their old body,
276
00:27:54,240 --> 00:27:57,400
a miracle that can
take as little as ten minutes.
277
00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:19,680
Soon, all the cicadas undergo the
same extraordinary transformation.
278
00:28:33,400 --> 00:28:36,720
But before these crumpled wings
can fly,
279
00:28:36,720 --> 00:28:41,280
they must be pumped full of blood,
a marvel of insect hydraulics.
280
00:28:51,640 --> 00:28:54,320
Their gossamer wings
need time to harden.
281
00:28:54,320 --> 00:28:59,160
While they wait,
they're often noticed by their
human neighbours for the first time.
282
00:28:59,160 --> 00:29:02,040
See that tree right there?
283
00:29:02,040 --> 00:29:04,520
It has lots and lots
of cicadas on it.
284
00:29:04,520 --> 00:29:07,840
There's, like, a bunch of cicadas
on the floor too.
285
00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:11,160
So I don't exactly
wanna, like, step on any of them.
286
00:29:11,160 --> 00:29:14,120
Tons of them, like, tons.
287
00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:17,440
On her flowers. Cicadas everywhere.
288
00:29:19,680 --> 00:29:21,160
Cicada mania.
289
00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:31,080
While some enjoy the novelty,
others are driven crazy by the
noise.
290
00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:38,080
I am putting myself out
here in the middle of this
disgusting invasion of insects.
291
00:29:38,080 --> 00:29:40,200
It's like I'm a journalist
in a war-zone.
292
00:29:41,840 --> 00:29:46,120
I can hear these things inside,
with air-conditioning on high
293
00:29:46,120 --> 00:29:49,320
and Metallica blasting.
I kid you not.
294
00:29:53,440 --> 00:30:00,280
The combined racket
reaches 100 decibels, far louder
than a jet flying overhead.
295
00:30:00,280 --> 00:30:04,560
The male makes the sound by
vibrating a drum-like organ
hidden in his body.
296
00:30:17,760 --> 00:30:21,040
It's not a good time
for those with sensitive hearing.
297
00:30:25,320 --> 00:30:31,200
Adults have seen and heard
it all before, but for kids
it's a totally new experience.
298
00:30:31,200 --> 00:30:34,360
One they won't see again
for 17 years.
299
00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:48,080
By appearing all together,
cicadas swamp predators
with too much food to eat,
300
00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:53,080
but their trick of using such
an odd intervals of years
is a masterstroke.
301
00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:57,160
It stops any predator
breeding to exploit the feast.
302
00:30:57,160 --> 00:31:02,880
They count their 17 years below
ground by measuring seasonal changes
in the pressure of tree sap.
303
00:31:05,320 --> 00:31:10,160
Although millions are eaten,
the majority manage
to find each other and mate.
304
00:31:22,360 --> 00:31:26,240
After mating, they use
their egg-laying tube as a saw
305
00:31:26,240 --> 00:31:29,600
to cut a slit under the bark,
laying 30 eggs in each incision.
306
00:31:32,360 --> 00:31:36,800
Job done,
they drop dead in their millions.
307
00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:51,840
Having spent the span of
a human childhood underground,
308
00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:54,200
their adult life
is over in just three weeks.
309
00:32:15,000 --> 00:32:18,960
Cincinnati is left
with a huge clean-up operation.
310
00:32:18,960 --> 00:32:21,920
Hundreds of tons of
dead and dying carcasses
311
00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:24,120
from this single emergence alone.
312
00:32:29,080 --> 00:32:33,320
17 years is the longest
cycle of any breeding swarm.
313
00:32:33,320 --> 00:32:35,720
Most occur once every year.
314
00:32:40,920 --> 00:32:43,960
These Cuban land crabs have
spent the last 11 months
315
00:32:43,960 --> 00:32:46,280
hidden in the rainforest.
316
00:32:46,280 --> 00:32:51,320
Today, they begin a six-mile march
back to the sea.
317
00:32:51,320 --> 00:32:53,200
Crossing open ground is dangerous.
318
00:32:53,200 --> 00:32:59,680
They can soon become cooked
in the sun, but civilisation
soon stops them in their tracks.
319
00:33:02,520 --> 00:33:05,880
For the crabs,
this is a shady paradise.
320
00:33:05,880 --> 00:33:11,640
Cool air flowing through
the shutters makes thousands cluster
together to avoid drying out.
321
00:33:21,240 --> 00:33:26,600
But it can only be a temporary
pit stop, as the urge to march
soon drives them on.
322
00:33:32,480 --> 00:33:36,040
The crustacean army is 100 million
strong
323
00:33:36,040 --> 00:33:39,880
and their cue to migrate
is triggered by the spring rains.
324
00:33:41,560 --> 00:33:43,920
The hordes have to cross
a coast road
325
00:33:43,920 --> 00:33:46,480
that forms a barrier
between land and sea.
326
00:33:46,480 --> 00:33:51,240
It's hardly a motorway, but for the
crabs it's an accident black spot.
327
00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:11,400
For unsuspecting drivers,
coming across the invasion
328
00:34:11,400 --> 00:34:15,640
is a memorable experience,
making some reach for the camera.
329
00:34:17,960 --> 00:34:22,520
Traffic comes to a standstill,
as cars try to find a way through.
330
00:34:22,520 --> 00:34:25,440
TOOTING
331
00:34:32,120 --> 00:34:35,720
Those that ignore
the crabs usually pay the price.
332
00:34:35,720 --> 00:34:39,000
One garage mends
100 punctures a day.
333
00:34:49,240 --> 00:34:53,240
Despite the carnage, the crabs
are distinctly unsentimental.
334
00:34:53,240 --> 00:34:56,720
Seizing the chance
for a roadside snack.
335
00:35:05,240 --> 00:35:08,280
Fortunately for the crabs'
ultimate survival,
336
00:35:08,280 --> 00:35:11,280
most of the millions make it
to the other side,
337
00:35:11,280 --> 00:35:13,440
then it's an easy sprint to the sea.
338
00:35:17,360 --> 00:35:20,040
Land crabs came from the ocean.
339
00:35:20,040 --> 00:35:22,960
They need to return here
to lay the eggs
340
00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:25,960
that will secure the next
generation.
341
00:35:25,960 --> 00:35:33,000
Crabs only swarm in the breeding
season, but some animals
live their entire life as a swarm.
342
00:35:36,920 --> 00:35:39,960
It's May 2008
and the rains have arrived
343
00:35:39,960 --> 00:35:42,200
in the mountains of East Africa.
344
00:35:44,520 --> 00:35:48,880
One of the most organised swarms
on Earth has appeared above ground.
345
00:35:50,920 --> 00:35:55,800
They're driver ants, an insect
with a fearsome reputation.
346
00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:05,920
In the rainy season they form
these extraordinary hunting trails.
347
00:36:09,160 --> 00:36:11,480
Large soldier ants line the trail,
348
00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:14,160
protecting the smaller workers
inside.
349
00:36:14,160 --> 00:36:18,040
Their massive jaws create
an impregnable barricade.
350
00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:25,600
The soldiers create
these protective tunnels
whenever they cross open ground.
351
00:36:35,400 --> 00:36:39,040
The trails radiate
from the nest in every direction,
352
00:36:39,040 --> 00:36:40,720
some stretch 100 metres.
353
00:36:40,720 --> 00:36:45,120
A worker running at full pelt
takes 45 minutes to run its length.
354
00:36:54,320 --> 00:36:57,520
The soldiers protect the trail
at any cost.
355
00:37:04,040 --> 00:37:06,760
Although blind, they're highly
sensitive
356
00:37:06,760 --> 00:37:08,720
to vibrations and air currents
357
00:37:08,720 --> 00:37:11,560
and become instantly
defensive when under attack.
358
00:37:18,680 --> 00:37:21,840
Stress pheromones put
the whole task force on alert.
359
00:37:21,840 --> 00:37:26,160
They're ready to take on anything,
including people.
360
00:37:31,880 --> 00:37:36,720
They're programmed to keep
the trail moving or die trying.
361
00:37:44,440 --> 00:37:47,520
Driver ants are the stuff of legend.
362
00:37:47,520 --> 00:37:51,000
It is said that they kill
everything that crosses their path.
363
00:37:51,000 --> 00:37:54,240
It is said that no animal is
safe when they're on the warpath.
364
00:37:54,240 --> 00:37:57,880
It is even said that they'll enter
huts to attack people
365
00:37:57,880 --> 00:38:00,840
or kill babies left unattended
in their cots.
366
00:38:02,320 --> 00:38:07,800
BABY CRIES
367
00:38:07,800 --> 00:38:10,680
The truth is somewhat different.
368
00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:14,560
Although the bites are
painful, against people
they're purely defensive.
369
00:38:14,560 --> 00:38:19,200
The jaws may slice through
human flesh like butter,
but it's simply a warning.
370
00:38:25,520 --> 00:38:29,600
Despite the myths, driver ants are
still ruthless killers,
371
00:38:29,600 --> 00:38:32,880
but in a way that often benefits
the villagers.
372
00:38:32,880 --> 00:38:37,280
Dangerous pests like scorpions are
quickly set upon by the ants.
373
00:38:40,120 --> 00:38:42,960
Even the scorpion's deadly sting
is powerless
374
00:38:42,960 --> 00:38:44,840
against this invincible army.
375
00:38:44,840 --> 00:38:51,520
Both workers and soldiers join
the attack, dividing up their
roles according to their size.
376
00:38:58,160 --> 00:39:03,480
As some look for a chink in its
leg armour, others prise open
its body plates like a tin opener.
377
00:39:10,400 --> 00:39:14,360
With its sting immobilised and
faced by such overwhelming odds,
378
00:39:14,360 --> 00:39:17,480
the scorpion eventually
gives up the fight.
379
00:39:20,160 --> 00:39:25,000
The dismembered body is hauled back
down the trail to feed the nest.
380
00:39:37,240 --> 00:39:42,280
The farmers' fields provide
even more opportunities
for the attack force.
381
00:39:45,120 --> 00:39:50,600
Pests disturbed by digging
are soon dispatched by
hundreds of razor-sharp jaws.
382
00:39:52,680 --> 00:39:55,080
The ants make a clean sweep,
383
00:39:55,080 --> 00:40:00,520
capturing up to 100,000 insects
in a single raid.
384
00:40:05,560 --> 00:40:08,320
Despite the ants' formidable
reputation,
385
00:40:08,320 --> 00:40:11,440
most farmers value
their role as pest controllers.
386
00:40:12,960 --> 00:40:17,000
Their feelings about another African
swarm are equally surprising.
387
00:40:25,200 --> 00:40:28,200
Once a month throughout
the rainy season,
388
00:40:28,200 --> 00:40:32,840
mysterious clouds rise over Lake
Victoria, Africa's largest lake.
389
00:40:46,280 --> 00:40:50,520
This smoke on the water
is not quite what it seems.
390
00:40:50,520 --> 00:40:52,760
It's actually a living entity
391
00:40:52,760 --> 00:40:55,840
comprised of trillions
of individuals.
392
00:41:16,120 --> 00:41:20,200
They're lake flies, a kind of midge
that emerges from the water
393
00:41:20,200 --> 00:41:23,480
in astronomical numbers
at the time of the new moon.
394
00:41:34,440 --> 00:41:36,640
There have always been flies here,
395
00:41:36,640 --> 00:41:40,200
but increased pollution
from fertilisers and sewage,
396
00:41:40,200 --> 00:41:41,720
while damaging the lake,
397
00:41:41,720 --> 00:41:44,560
is encouraging these huge columns
of flies.
398
00:41:47,320 --> 00:41:52,240
In terms of sheer numbers, these
are now the biggest swarms on earth.
399
00:41:54,080 --> 00:41:56,400
Eventually they make landfall
400
00:41:56,400 --> 00:42:00,200
and people encounter
the flies for the first time.
401
00:42:07,560 --> 00:42:11,920
On land, countless numbers swirl
around every physical feature
402
00:42:11,920 --> 00:42:14,400
as they shimmy in courtship flights.
403
00:42:20,080 --> 00:42:23,520
Although the air is choked
with billions of flies,
404
00:42:23,520 --> 00:42:24,960
daily life continues.
405
00:42:26,600 --> 00:42:30,720
It's rumoured that the flies can
suffocate people by sheer number.
406
00:42:30,720 --> 00:42:33,920
In reality the lake villagers
are surprisingly blase
407
00:42:33,920 --> 00:42:35,560
about this living smog.
408
00:42:40,240 --> 00:42:44,080
Eventually the flies take a rest,
covering every available surface
409
00:42:44,080 --> 00:42:47,920
as they break off
from their mating rituals.
410
00:42:50,600 --> 00:42:55,240
Like many swarms, the midges emerge
together to swamp predators
411
00:42:55,240 --> 00:42:57,960
with too much food to eat
at any one time.
412
00:42:57,960 --> 00:42:59,880
Birds even migrate to the lake
413
00:42:59,880 --> 00:43:02,560
to make the most of this monthly
free lunch.
414
00:43:17,600 --> 00:43:19,240
But it's not only birds
415
00:43:19,240 --> 00:43:22,640
that can't bear to see so much
protein go to waste.
416
00:43:40,240 --> 00:43:45,320
Such incredible quantity of biomass
is equivalent to huge herds of game,
417
00:43:45,320 --> 00:43:47,360
but far easier to catch.
418
00:43:59,000 --> 00:44:03,080
A frying pan
makes the perfect weapon.
419
00:44:05,880 --> 00:44:11,400
The flies are so valuable
the whole village joins in the hunt.
420
00:44:11,400 --> 00:44:16,320
The saucepans have been dampened
first to make the flies stick
and then clump together.
421
00:44:19,680 --> 00:44:21,440
These midges are so nutritious,
422
00:44:21,440 --> 00:44:24,200
they're valued as a supplement
to the local diet.
423
00:44:36,840 --> 00:44:39,520
Each patty contains
half a million flies
424
00:44:39,520 --> 00:44:43,520
and has seven times more
protein than the average beefburger.
425
00:44:48,040 --> 00:44:51,440
For people who have little protein
in their diet,
426
00:44:51,440 --> 00:44:54,280
this burger bar
is a health food centre.
427
00:44:56,680 --> 00:44:59,040
Each village has its own recipes,
428
00:44:59,040 --> 00:45:01,920
but fly burgers always
go like hot cakes.
429
00:45:06,360 --> 00:45:12,880
In times of famine, this traditional
method of dealing with the monthly
invasion becomes ever more relevant.
430
00:45:18,600 --> 00:45:22,600
Both ants and flies are
swarms with a positive side,
431
00:45:22,600 --> 00:45:26,600
but one African plague
has no such redeeming features.
432
00:45:26,600 --> 00:45:30,000
It can be
heard long before it arrives.
433
00:45:35,120 --> 00:45:39,240
These are the most numerous birds
on Earth with a growing population
434
00:45:39,240 --> 00:45:42,000
that may now be more
than ten billion.
435
00:45:47,120 --> 00:45:51,000
The largest flock on record
consisted of over 40 million birds
436
00:45:51,000 --> 00:45:54,760
and took five hours to pass.
437
00:45:58,280 --> 00:46:00,880
Sometimes known as the locust bird,
438
00:46:00,880 --> 00:46:03,920
these are quelea, a type of weaver.
439
00:46:08,400 --> 00:46:11,280
They follow the seasonal rains
in an endless search for food.
440
00:46:11,280 --> 00:46:13,880
Water holes draw
huge numbers together.
441
00:46:18,880 --> 00:46:20,840
They need to drink twice a day
442
00:46:20,840 --> 00:46:34,560
and usually stay no more than
ten miles from the nearest water.
443
00:46:35,720 --> 00:46:39,040
Being sociable allows them
to share information.
444
00:46:39,040 --> 00:46:43,400
Each bird acts as a scout
and those that have found
food let their neighbours know.
445
00:46:43,400 --> 00:46:48,040
This guarantees that the departing
flocks set off in the most
promising direction.
446
00:46:59,000 --> 00:47:02,880
They eat grass seeds but,
unfortunately for African farmers,
447
00:47:02,880 --> 00:47:06,880
they prefer the more succulent
domesticated varieties,
448
00:47:06,880 --> 00:47:09,560
getting through 10,000 tonnes a day.
449
00:47:09,560 --> 00:47:15,640
Smaller parties break off
from the main flock to make sneaky
raids on the farmers' fields.
450
00:47:18,120 --> 00:47:20,560
Even a relatively small flock
will demolish
451
00:47:20,560 --> 00:47:22,520
an acre of rice in less
than an hour.
452
00:47:22,520 --> 00:47:26,600
SCREAMING
453
00:47:26,600 --> 00:47:28,480
Subsistence farmers suffer the most.
454
00:47:28,480 --> 00:47:32,080
It's a full-time occupation
keeping the crop raiders at bay.
455
00:47:32,080 --> 00:47:34,080
HE SHOUTS
456
00:47:36,720 --> 00:47:39,000
It's like trying to dam
an ever-flowing river.
457
00:47:39,000 --> 00:47:41,680
As the flocks separate and reform,
458
00:47:41,680 --> 00:47:45,520
predicting where they might land
is anyone's guess.
459
00:47:45,520 --> 00:47:47,600
With their livelihood at stake,
460
00:47:47,600 --> 00:47:50,160
the whole village creates
a taskforce
461
00:47:50,160 --> 00:47:52,000
to try to stop them settling.
462
00:47:52,000 --> 00:47:54,040
HE BANGS DRUM AND SHOUTS
463
00:47:58,920 --> 00:48:02,800
A flock of one million quelea
consume 60 tonnes of food a day
464
00:48:02,800 --> 00:48:05,200
but, as they're always on the move,
465
00:48:05,200 --> 00:48:07,840
they're almost impossible
to control.
466
00:48:09,400 --> 00:48:13,320
Only when the birds roost
do the farmers get some respite.
467
00:48:16,080 --> 00:48:19,600
Eventually the birds have
to stop their endless travelling.
468
00:48:19,600 --> 00:48:23,280
Nesting is their most vulnerable
time.
469
00:48:24,920 --> 00:48:28,160
The red-billed males
do the main work,
470
00:48:28,160 --> 00:48:30,440
weaving up to 20 of these intricate,
471
00:48:30,440 --> 00:48:33,440
bowl-shaped nests to attract
different females.
472
00:48:42,800 --> 00:48:47,280
He takes the greatest of care, as
his quality of work is being judged.
473
00:48:53,560 --> 00:48:56,000
Only the finest weaving
passes the test.
474
00:48:58,000 --> 00:49:00,440
If she approves, she moves inside.
475
00:49:08,880 --> 00:49:12,880
But stopping to breed
has made them vulnerable.
476
00:49:28,920 --> 00:49:34,080
A colony may cover four square miles
and hold 300,000 birds,
477
00:49:34,080 --> 00:49:37,840
all breeding
a new generation of crop raiders.
478
00:49:37,840 --> 00:49:41,120
As sunset draws the birds back
to the nest,
479
00:49:41,120 --> 00:49:45,520
they pay the ultimate
price for feeding off our success.
480
00:49:45,520 --> 00:49:48,680
COUNTDOWN IS SHOUTED
481
00:50:05,680 --> 00:50:09,760
In the birds' world,
this is Armageddon.
482
00:50:11,360 --> 00:50:15,400
Over 100,000 annihilated
in a single blast.
483
00:50:18,880 --> 00:50:23,360
The inferno brings temporary relief
to nearby farmers but does nothing
484
00:50:23,360 --> 00:50:28,440
to stop the ever-expanding growth
of Africa's quelea population.
485
00:50:28,440 --> 00:50:31,960
We may unintentionally
encourage swarms
486
00:50:31,960 --> 00:50:33,920
but we cannot control them.
487
00:50:38,760 --> 00:50:41,200
It's August 2008.
488
00:50:41,200 --> 00:50:44,440
In the Mississippi and its many
tributaries,
489
00:50:44,440 --> 00:50:47,080
a purely man-made swarm
is on the rise.
490
00:50:58,960 --> 00:51:02,160
In the 1970s,
silver carp were accidentally
491
00:51:02,160 --> 00:51:06,000
introduced into these waters
after escaping from a fish farm.
492
00:51:12,160 --> 00:51:16,080
They now outnumber local fish
by 10-1.
493
00:51:19,200 --> 00:51:21,600
They have some truly
bizarre behaviour.
494
00:51:30,000 --> 00:51:32,920
Some can clear
three metres in a single leap.
495
00:51:48,440 --> 00:51:52,560
They say when fish are leaping,
it's good for anglers.
496
00:51:52,560 --> 00:51:55,120
It's certainly the case
in this part of the river.
497
00:52:00,640 --> 00:52:03,560
Here, fishermen don't
even need a rod and line.
498
00:52:03,560 --> 00:52:07,320
Fish are only too willing
to do the job for them.
499
00:52:11,480 --> 00:52:14,000
It's a phenomenon
that takes some getting used to.
500
00:52:15,960 --> 00:52:17,520
Whoa!
501
00:52:17,520 --> 00:52:19,880
I got him too! There's a guy.
502
00:52:19,880 --> 00:52:22,280
Look out!
SQUEALING
503
00:52:22,280 --> 00:52:23,800
Hey!
LAUGHTER
504
00:52:28,480 --> 00:52:30,280
That could be cut bait.
505
00:52:30,280 --> 00:52:31,680
That could be cut bait.
506
00:52:33,960 --> 00:52:37,720
Hey! We don't even have to get
the fishing pole wet! Look out!
507
00:52:40,720 --> 00:52:43,720
Damn it, let's eat that
thing, see what it tastes like!
508
00:52:43,720 --> 00:52:47,640
But this kind of angling
has its dangers.
509
00:52:47,640 --> 00:52:52,200
Oh! No!
510
00:52:52,200 --> 00:52:54,320
Right in the mummy-daddy button!
511
00:52:55,920 --> 00:52:58,160
It's not just anglers
who are affected.
512
00:52:58,160 --> 00:53:01,560
Pleasure craft
have to run the gauntlet too.
513
00:53:03,800 --> 00:53:06,080
Did you see that?
514
00:53:06,080 --> 00:53:08,240
That would hurt!
515
00:53:08,240 --> 00:53:11,400
My goodness! Holy toledo!
516
00:53:11,400 --> 00:53:13,400
There's massive fish flying
517
00:53:13,400 --> 00:53:16,400
out of the water behind them.
I mean, large.
518
00:53:16,400 --> 00:53:18,080
That's insane!
519
00:53:19,840 --> 00:53:22,280
Get us out of here!
520
00:53:28,800 --> 00:53:32,240
The secret of this extraordinary
behaviour lies in the boats' motors.
521
00:53:34,280 --> 00:53:37,120
The fish mistake pressure waves
from the propeller
522
00:53:37,120 --> 00:53:38,720
for the movement of predators
523
00:53:38,720 --> 00:53:41,080
and literally jump with fright.
524
00:53:49,000 --> 00:53:51,920
They react in alarm
to every passing boat.
525
00:54:02,640 --> 00:54:04,920
With numbers close to
bursting point,
526
00:54:04,920 --> 00:54:07,200
each leaping fish scares
its neighbour,
527
00:54:07,200 --> 00:54:09,400
creating a dangerous chain reaction.
528
00:54:13,080 --> 00:54:17,520
As some weigh over 40 pounds,
collisions can be deadly.
529
00:54:24,680 --> 00:54:28,720
In some parts of the river, 200 fish
missiles can launch at any one time.
530
00:54:28,720 --> 00:54:31,960
They've already caused
serious injuries and,
531
00:54:31,960 --> 00:54:36,000
as they spread to other rivers,
the danger increases by the day.
532
00:54:44,840 --> 00:54:49,040
Silver carp are a swarm
that we accidentally created,
533
00:54:49,040 --> 00:54:53,480
living proof that, as we interfere
with the balance of nature,
534
00:54:53,480 --> 00:54:55,080
we create more swarms.
535
00:54:56,600 --> 00:55:00,040
But there is one swarm that we have
been deliberately encouraging
536
00:55:00,040 --> 00:55:01,360
for thousands of years.
537
00:55:03,480 --> 00:55:06,800
The honey bee is the only swarm
we have ever domesticated,
538
00:55:06,800 --> 00:55:09,320
but we're still unravelling
the mysteries
539
00:55:09,320 --> 00:55:10,840
of much of their behaviour.
540
00:55:17,320 --> 00:55:20,280
For those who understand
the swarm's inner mind,
541
00:55:20,280 --> 00:55:24,360
it's possible to control them in
a way that is quite extraordinary.
542
00:55:35,480 --> 00:55:38,800
The bees are being summoned
by a secret signal,
543
00:55:38,800 --> 00:55:42,040
one that causes
them to act with a single mind.
544
00:55:46,720 --> 00:55:49,960
Swarms are made
from thousands of organisms
545
00:55:49,960 --> 00:55:52,160
but they work by acting as one.
546
00:55:59,400 --> 00:56:02,160
By understanding the swarm's
secret language,
547
00:56:02,160 --> 00:56:05,680
it's possible to make them
do the most extraordinary things.
548
00:56:32,800 --> 00:56:38,080
100,000 bees cover his body,
creating a living suit.
549
00:56:47,680 --> 00:56:53,280
He has such control over the bees
he rarely suffers a single sting.
550
00:56:58,400 --> 00:57:00,440
He is a professor of entomology,
551
00:57:00,440 --> 00:57:04,560
and has been studying bees and
their communication all his life.
552
00:57:07,960 --> 00:57:11,400
By covering his body with
the pheromone that the queen bee
553
00:57:11,400 --> 00:57:15,160
uses to control her hive,
he has them at his command.
554
00:57:15,160 --> 00:57:18,320
They react by protecting
him with their bodies.
555
00:57:25,160 --> 00:57:29,200
To them, he is the queen bee.
556
00:57:33,600 --> 00:57:37,400
Using science, he has learnt
to control what most of us dread,
557
00:57:37,400 --> 00:57:39,640
and the result is quite disturbing.
558
00:57:45,160 --> 00:57:47,600
As he brings a swarm into our world,
559
00:57:47,600 --> 00:57:50,400
people are forced
to confront their fears.
560
00:57:53,720 --> 00:57:56,920
They also see that, with knowledge,
561
00:57:56,920 --> 00:58:00,760
such an incredible force
of nature can be controlled.
562
00:58:01,720 --> 00:58:05,320
When swarms invade,
we are inevitably separated
563
00:58:05,320 --> 00:58:07,480
by an invisible barrier created
564
00:58:07,480 --> 00:58:10,080
by our different senses
and perceptions.
565
00:58:11,720 --> 00:58:16,240
Swarms may share our world but the
gulf between us couldn't be greater.
566
00:58:22,120 --> 00:58:27,400
To control the swarm, we need to
understand how they see the world.
567
00:58:29,400 --> 00:58:34,080
But swarms not only experience
things differently from us,
568
00:58:34,080 --> 00:58:36,640
they think in a different way too.
569
00:58:43,840 --> 00:58:49,520
The next programme will explore
the extraordinary alien intelligence
570
00:58:49,520 --> 00:58:51,400
that controls the swarm.
571
00:59:06,920 --> 00:59:09,960
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
572
00:59:09,960 --> 00:59:12,960
E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk
50261
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