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Fun
Transcript
00:00:00Bees first appeared on Earth 130 million years ago, and they outlived dinos.
00:00:06What helped them survive for so long is an incredibly complex structure of their society
00:00:11and teamwork.
00:00:12Each bee has its own role and responsibility.
00:00:15Some of them build and repair their home, some bees protect it, others clean the hive
00:00:19and get food.
00:00:20But what if you could sneak into a hive and figure out how this whole system works?
00:00:25What would you see inside?
00:00:27For some mysterious reason, it's easy for you to get past the guards.
00:00:31But if you were a bee from another colony, they wouldn't let you in without a fight.
00:00:36The guard bees look rather intimidating.
00:00:38They stand on their back four legs at the hive's entrance, their front legs raised
00:00:42in the air.
00:00:43These bees inspect every insect entering the hive with their antennae and front legs.
00:00:48Each hive has its own odor.
00:00:50And the guards can understand if a bee belongs to their colony by smelling it.
00:00:55Only the bees that live in the hive can get inside.
00:00:58Suddenly, you see something strange.
00:01:00One of the guard bees has detected an intruder.
00:01:03An alien bee must have mistakenly tried to enter the wrong hive.
00:01:07But it's carrying a load of nectar, and the guard lets it in.
00:01:11Apparently, they don't mind accepting free gifts of food, even from strangers.
00:01:16You feel too curious to linger there any longer.
00:01:19The hive has only one entrance.
00:01:21You notice that the walls around it look strange.
00:01:23But take a closer look and understand that it's coated with a thin layer of some substance.
00:01:28It's propolis, hardened plant resin produced by bees.
00:01:32It helps fight infections and cures different health problems.
00:01:35A bit further, you can see countless honeycombs.
00:01:38They're densely packed hexagonal cells made of beeswax.
00:01:42Bees use them to store food, pollen, and honey.
00:01:45That's where they keep eggs, larvae, and pupae.
00:01:48Honeycombs are fixed to the walls of the hive.
00:01:51They stretch from top to bottom and are even attached to the sides.
00:01:54But you spot narrow passageways along the comb edges.
00:01:58Bees use them to move around the hive.
00:02:00You might also be able to squeeze through one of these tunnels.
00:02:04After exploring the place, you figure out that bees store honey in the upper part of
00:02:08the comb.
00:02:09Beneath, there are cells that contain pollen.
00:02:11Then, there are cells used for keeping eggs with future worker bees.
00:02:16And at the very bottom, there are drone eggs.
00:02:19Of course, your ultimate goal is to see the queen bee.
00:02:22But it's not that easy to find her.
00:02:24First, you come across lots of other bees.
00:02:27Most of them are workers.
00:02:28They make up the largest part of the hive's population.
00:02:31And they're all ladies.
00:02:33Each of them has its own task.
00:02:35The most common of them is foraging.
00:02:37You spot a bee leaving a hive and decide to follow it.
00:02:40The queen can wait a bit.
00:02:42You want to see how bees provide food for the hive.
00:02:45The bee is buzzing ahead of you.
00:02:46After visiting a couple of flowers, it suddenly starts wiggling while hovering in one place.
00:02:51Ah, that's the famous bee dance.
00:02:54That's how bees communicate.
00:02:56Once a forager finds a perfect supply of nectar, it starts to perform a very precise dance.
00:03:01It consists of a series of straight lines and figure-8s.
00:03:04Throughout the dance, the bee is also shaking its wings.
00:03:08How long the dance lasts means how far away from the hive the nectar is.
00:03:13Every 75 milliseconds is another 330 feet to the distance.
00:03:17And how intense the dance is depends on the richness of the source of the nectar.
00:03:22The stronger the waggle is, the more nectar the bee has found.
00:03:25And there's also the angle of the dance.
00:03:28It shows the direction of the nectar in relation to the sun.
00:03:31Your bee must've found tons of nectar.
00:03:34It's practically vibrating.
00:03:36Suddenly it starts flying back to the hive.
00:03:38You follow it.
00:03:39There, the bee does a shake dance in front of the other worker bees.
00:03:43This is how it tells other bees they need to go foraging right away.
00:03:47You decide to stay behind and just watch what will happen.
00:03:50Soon, the bees return.
00:03:51They've brought back a lot of nectar that needs to be ripened into honey.
00:03:55Your bee does a tremble dance this time.
00:03:57It's shaking its legs in a way that makes its body tremble all over.
00:04:02This little dance makes other workers get down to process the nectar.
00:04:05It's time for you to resume your search.
00:04:08You dive back into the hive and begin to squeeze through small passageways.
00:04:13You come across the cells where worker bees begin their lives as eggs.
00:04:16It takes a bee 21 days to develop from an egg into a full-grown worker.
00:04:21The first task of this new worker is to clean the cell where it grew.
00:04:25The cell then becomes a nursery for a new egg.
00:04:28And the bee looks after this egg.
00:04:30Later, it feeds the larva and keeps it warm.
00:04:33During the next stage of its life, when it's 12 to 20 days old, the bee starts doing chores
00:04:38around the hive.
00:04:39It produces wax, stores pollen and nectar, builds the comb, guards the entrance, and
00:04:44so on.
00:04:45When the bee turns 20 days old, it becomes a forager.
00:04:49It looks for and delivers pollen, nectar, and tree resin to make propolis.
00:04:53The bee also brings water.
00:04:55Bees need it for drinking and cooling the hive.
00:04:58At one point, you see something that looks like a hospital room.
00:05:02There, worker bees look after those that feel unwell.
00:05:06But doctors bring them different types of honey, depending on their infection.
00:05:10If there's no other way, they remove a sick bee from the hive.
00:05:13It helps to prevent the entire colony from getting ill.
00:05:17And then, there are also temperature-controlled bees.
00:05:20The temperature in the hive is usually around 95°F. It's crucial to keep it this way
00:05:25– not hotter, not colder.
00:05:27Otherwise, the eggs won't hatch.
00:05:30You see a group of bees and instantly understand their temperature bees.
00:05:34Apparently, the temperature in the hive has dropped, and now the bees are trying to warm
00:05:38it up.
00:05:39They're vibrating in a special way, which raises their body temperature.
00:05:43And you can feel the air around you become a bit warmer.
00:05:47And if they needed to cool the hive, they would go and gather some water droplets.
00:05:51Then they would bring this water on their backs.
00:05:54Once in the hive, the temperature bees would buzz their wings very fast, making the water
00:05:58evaporate and lower the temperature.
00:06:01You move further, and soon come across a bee you haven't seen before.
00:06:05It has huge eyes, a large body, and no stinger.
00:06:08It's a drone, the only kind of male bee in the hive.
00:06:12Drones don't have any foraging tools either.
00:06:15Their only purpose is to mate with the queen and care for her.
00:06:18The drone's life isn't too long.
00:06:21For one thing, if this bee manages to mate with the queen, it never survives the process.
00:06:26And if there's a food shortage or winter is coming, worker bees usually kick drones
00:06:30out of the hive and don't let them back in.
00:06:32Wow, that's hard.
00:06:34You keep going until you finally notice a nursery.
00:06:37There you spot a bee that is twice the size of a worker bee.
00:06:41Your quest has come to an end – that's the queen!
00:06:44This bee is the most important one for the hive, because it's the only bee that can
00:06:48lay eggs.
00:06:50Despite her title, the queen doesn't actually rule, and her brain is smaller than that of
00:06:54a worker bee.
00:06:55But she produces special pheromones that influence the mood of the entire hive.
00:07:00The queen also gives birth to every single bee in the colony.
00:07:04When the queen is still a larva, worker bees feed her royal jolly.
00:07:08That's a goop with super high sugar content.
00:07:11A larger cell, along with such a diet, leads to a bigger body and the future queen's
00:07:16ability to emit the pheromones.
00:07:18When the queen has mated with drones, she returns to the hive.
00:07:22Three days later, she starts laying eggs and never stops.
00:07:25She works especially hard in the spring, laying one egg every 20 seconds.
00:07:30No wonder that later in the year, the colony already has a population of 30,000 to 60,000
00:07:36bees.
00:07:37But wait, something strange is happening here.
00:07:40A group of worker bees, in fact lots of them, might be half the colony, leave the hive with
00:07:45the queen leading them.
00:07:47It means the colony has become too big.
00:07:49The queen goes outside for the first time since mating, and the whole swarm sets off
00:07:54in search of a new home.
00:07:56Back in the hive, a new queen hatches from an egg eight days later.
00:08:25little thing.
00:08:26You'll be fine after a few hours.
00:08:28But the bee?
00:08:29Not so much.
00:08:30Honeybees don't usually sting people unless they feel threatened or if you accidentally
00:08:33step on them.
00:08:34The problem is that after stinging you, the bee can't pull its barbed stinger out of
00:08:38your skin.
00:08:39The only way to get free is to leave the stinger behind.
00:08:42The stinger though, not just a sweet defense mechanism, it also contains part of the bee's
00:08:46digestive tract, nerves, and muscles that are, unfortunately, essential for the bee
00:08:51to function normally.
00:08:52So yep, after losing all that, this tiny creature doesn't survive.
00:08:56Yikes.
00:08:57Poor little bee.
00:08:59Apart from that, they're such cool animals.
00:09:01They have five eyes, two pairs of wings, and six legs.
00:09:05Bees have excellent survival instincts and they've been around for a really long time,
00:09:09130 million years and counting.
00:09:11Who knows what ancient species they've stung.
00:09:14Most bees in the hive are called worker bees, and the big cheese is called the queen.
00:09:18She lays around 2,000 eggs per day.
00:09:20Sound like a lot?
00:09:22Well, the average hive contains 50,000 bees, and they disappear after just one sting.
00:09:26I guess going through a painful and itchy experience doesn't actually sound that bad
00:09:30when you only have one bee on your arm.
00:09:33Imagine if you had the whole hive.
00:09:34It may seem like bees just aimlessly fly around or use their vision to decide where they go.
00:09:39But these cool insects are pretty organized and rely on a super complex transport system.
00:09:44Imagine planning a cross-country road trip, only this time, there are no roads.
00:09:48I can't even make it to the gym without my GPS.
00:09:51Or if I stop at a burger joint on the way there.
00:09:53But not bees.
00:09:54They're way cooler than us.
00:09:56They use bee lines.
00:09:57Well, I call them that.
00:09:59They're basically a series of insect pathways bees tend to follow through human towns or
00:10:03the countryside.
00:10:04These pathways link every existing wildlife area together.
00:10:07It's like a bee railway system.
00:10:10My favorite bee is the buff-tailed bumblebee.
00:10:13It has an oval-shaped body covered in dense hair and a brain the size of a poppy seed.
00:10:17Considering how small it is, that's really impressive.
00:10:20How smart are they?
00:10:22Scientists made an experiment where they trained a bunch of them to play bee soccer.
00:10:25They even learned how to score a goal in return for a sweet sugary treat.
00:10:29Un-bee-lievable.
00:10:30These same bees have another amazing ability.
00:10:33They use their smelly footprints to distinguish between the scents of strangers, their own
00:10:37bee relatives.
00:10:38They can even recognize their own scent.
00:10:40Bumblebees, we know your dirty little secret.
00:10:42You have smelly feet.
00:10:44And then there's the queen bee.
00:10:46She's unique in her colony, and her main task?
00:10:48Laying eggs.
00:10:49People often assume the queen is there to tell the other bees exactly what to do.
00:10:53Yeah, not really.
00:10:54She does have a certain influence.
00:10:56But even without her, the hive actually functions pretty well.
00:10:59Each bee has a job and knows its daily functions and tasks.
00:11:03Because of its instincts and the chemical signals it senses and uses.
00:11:06So, I guess no one needs to tell them how to… behave?
00:11:09Those chemical signals are their way of communicating.
00:11:12Oh, and they know how to shake it.
00:11:13They wiggle their bodies at specific angles for a certain amount of time.
00:11:17That's how they send messages to each other.
00:11:19If something happens to the queen bee and she doesn't survive, worker bees create
00:11:23a new one.
00:11:24Yep, they don't find one.
00:11:25But sort of raise a new one.
00:11:27They choose a young larva and feed the future, her majesty, a special food called royal jelly.
00:11:32That lucky larva can now grow into the new queen.
00:11:35Bees are fast.
00:11:36They can beat their wings almost 200 times a second.
00:11:39Those 8 push-ups I can do in a minute, not sounding so impressive.
00:11:42Each bee produces around 1 teaspoon of honey in its lifetime.
00:11:45To produce 1 pound of honey, bees have to fly the equivalent of one whole time around
00:11:49the globe.
00:11:50These hardworking animals make around 100 million trips to about 200 million flowers
00:11:55to collect enough nectar for that pound of honey.
00:11:58Honey bees sleep 5 to 8 hours a day, and just like us, they rest at night.
00:12:02Their brains are pretty active when they're resting.
00:12:04Some scientists think they may be dreaming, also just like us.
00:12:08When winter rolls around, a lot of insects replace their body water with a special chemical
00:12:12called glycerol.
00:12:13It's a type of natural antifreeze that helps them stay alive in low temperatures.
00:12:17Bees though, they just huddle together in the hive to stay toasty warm.
00:12:21Alright enough about bees, let's whip round the animal kingdom looking for crazy facts.
00:12:26Bats could eat a thousand insects an hour if they were insanely hungry.
00:12:29They're the only mammal that can fly, and their bones are so thin, most of them can't
00:12:34even walk.
00:12:35Insects for the most part don't have ears on their heads, instead, they have them all
00:12:39over their bodies.
00:12:41Mammals can sleep for 3 years without waking up.
00:12:44Slugs have 4 noses, so they better avoid those stinky feet bumblebees.
00:12:48Butterflies are quite simple and practical animals that taste with their feet and only
00:12:52feed on liquids.
00:12:54They're cold-blooded, so if it gets below 55 degrees, they can't fly, look for food,
00:12:58or escape a sticky situation.
00:13:00Their main defense tactic is camouflage, works pretty well, until it gets cold.
00:13:05The opposite strategy is having vibrant, colorful patterns that let everyone know where you
00:13:09are.
00:13:10Small insects are often toxic, so birds and bigger insects tend to leave them alone.
00:13:15Wasps recognize their relatives by identifying unique facial patterns.
00:13:20Ants don't have lungs, instead, they breathe through small holes all over their bodies.
00:13:24Also, they almost never sleep, but they do love to nap.
00:13:28Ants are incredibly strong and can carry more than 50 times their own weight.
00:13:31If you were that strong, you'd be able to carry an adult elephant, you know, like if
00:13:35it's stepping on your toe and you want to get it off you?
00:13:38For every human, there are more than a million ants, and over 200 million insects.
00:13:42Luckily, they're smaller than us.
00:13:44If they weren't, we'd be the ants.
00:13:47You can hypnotize a frog if you place it on its back and gently stroke its stomach with
00:13:51your fingers.
00:13:52What if that worked on humans?
00:13:53Hey, wanna hang out?
00:13:55I know a sloth does.
00:13:57Its weird biology allows it to spend most of its life just hanging upside down from
00:14:01a tree.
00:14:02A sloth is so slow it takes around a month to totally digest food.
00:14:06Pandas have horns made out of the same stuff as hair.
00:14:10Scientists trained pigeons to be able to tell the difference between famous artists Claude
00:14:13Monet and Pablo Picasso.
00:14:15Ok, wait.
00:14:17Even pigeons are smarter than me now?
00:14:19Just when you think pandas can't get any cuter, check this out.
00:14:22When they're born, pandas weigh around 4 ounces and are smaller than a mouse.
00:14:26Animals that have a super-fast metabolism inside a small body, like squirrels do, see
00:14:30in slow motion.
00:14:31They evolved this feature to be able to escape bigger animals.
00:14:34That's cool.
00:14:35But when you really think about it, it really makes them powerful.
00:14:38Squirrels usually run away from their enemies by scampering off in a zig-zag pattern, because…
00:14:43no idea.
00:14:44Sorry, people.
00:14:45They tend to bury their food in many different places.
00:14:47Since it's impossible to keep an eye on all their hiding spots, other animals like
00:14:51to sneak over and steal their goods.
00:14:53That's why squirrels sometimes only pretend to bury their food somewhere, to throw off
00:14:57any potential thieves.
00:14:58Oh, how nutty of them!
00:15:00An ostrich has a brain smaller than its eye, but it has really strong legs.
00:15:05It can run faster than a horse.
00:15:07Flamingos only eat when their heads are turned upside down.
00:15:16The sound you hear when bees aren't around doesn't come from their mouths.
00:15:21You hear it because they're beating their wings while flying really fast.
00:15:25When they're in the air, their wings make vibrations the human ear recognizes as buzzing.
00:15:31It's especially loud when it comes to smaller insects.
00:15:34Bigger bees have slower wingbeats, which means the pitch of the buzzing gets lower.
00:15:40Insects buzz to get pollen off the flower as they move their bodies and wings.
00:15:44The pollen then attaches to the bee.
00:15:46It flies towards the next flower and deposits the pollen there.
00:15:50This process is called pollination.
00:15:53You will also hear buzzing when they're defending their hives or themselves.
00:15:57Especially if you get too close to a bee in its natural habitat.
00:16:01This buzzing sound is like some kind of a warning to move away.
00:16:04Or get ready to face the angry bee.
00:16:06Ouch!
00:16:07That was a painful one.
00:16:08But hey!
00:16:09What?
00:16:10Ouch!
00:16:11Was that another sting?
00:16:12In that case, it's not a honeybee.
00:16:16A honeybee can only sting once.
00:16:18When it does, you can see the small stinger protruding on your skin.
00:16:22Once that's done, the bee can no longer pull the stinger back out.
00:16:26Since the stinger has nerves, muscles, and is part of the bee's digestive tract, the
00:16:30bee doesn't survive.
00:16:34Yellowjackets are a type of wasp that doesn't have such a problem.
00:16:37They will sting you multiple times, as much as possible.
00:16:40Unlike plenty of bees, yellowjackets have a stinger without a barb.
00:16:45It's no fun being around them or running into their nests, which provides home to thousands
00:16:49of jackets.
00:16:50Or up to 50,000 in just one summer.
00:16:55They don't produce the buzzing sound like bees either.
00:16:57That happens because of differences in their behavior.
00:17:01Bumblebees and honeybees fly from one flower to another and gather pollen and nectar, which
00:17:06is also food for the colonies.
00:17:08If you see them flying around at grass level, they're probably collecting food they'll later
00:17:12take to their nest.
00:17:16Yellowjackets aren't that much into flowers, so they don't need to shake their wings as
00:17:19intensively as bees.
00:17:20They don't transfer or collect pollen.
00:17:23These wasps are predators that prefer spiders, insects, and decaying fruit.
00:17:28If you're having a picnic with a basket full of tasty food, get ready for an unwanted visit.
00:17:32Cover the food to keep them away.
00:17:36Their most active time is late summer and early fall.
00:17:40Jackets start their colony in the spring.
00:17:42The lone queen does it by herself.
00:17:44She needs to survive the harsh winter conditions first, after which she lays eggs.
00:17:49The colony then grows through spring and summer.
00:17:52When the winter comes, the old queen is done with her work, so she can now pass the crown
00:17:56to the new queen that will start the next cycle.
00:17:59None of the other wasps survive either.
00:18:02Both yellowjackets and bees have black and yellow bodies and are almost the same size.
00:18:08Bees are more hairy and chunky, while yellowjackets are not that furry or fat.
00:18:12They're more smooth and slender.
00:18:15Wasps also have a waist.
00:18:17It attaches their abdomen to the thorax, the body part between the midsection and the head.
00:18:23Honeybees live in tree holes in nests beekeepers provide them with.
00:18:27Jackets prefer to make their nests in exposed pipes, holes, in walls, old furniture, or
00:18:32even below the ground.
00:18:34They find some old rodent burrows and often make their nests in lawns on spots with no
00:18:39grass, so it's easier to accidentally step on them or disturb them with a lawnmower.
00:18:45Yellowjackets are way more aggressive and fierce than bees since they're predators
00:18:49and have a really strong instinct to protect their nests.
00:18:53They tend to go after people for violating their peace and will follow you over a long
00:18:57distance if necessary.
00:18:59They'll pass all obstacles and wait for their moment.
00:19:02If you're running away from them, don't go into the water and dive in because they'll
00:19:05be patiently waiting for you to run out of breath to take their revenge.
00:19:10Don't run in panic waving your arms around because they'll probably be faster and way
00:19:13more frustrated as they see you as a threat.
00:19:16Just raise your hands and protect the eyes first, then slowly start moving away.
00:19:22Honeybees sting when they really don't have another choice.
00:19:25They're not mean by their nature.
00:19:27Neither they nor wasps are hostile if they don't feel threatened.
00:19:31Yellowjackets are way easier to provoke than bees.
00:19:34When they see something they find dangerous coming towards, they release certain chemicals
00:19:38that alert the family, so they'll chase you.
00:19:41Wasps can make a nest from paper.
00:19:43They chew up pieces of bark and then spit it out, which is how they make a paper rougher.
00:19:48They all look the same to us, but wasps can recognize each other by identifying unique
00:19:53facial patterns they all have.
00:19:55They come in crazy colors including green, blue, red, and orange.
00:20:00The smallest insect in the world is a parasite wasp, often called a fairy fly.
00:20:05Male wasps are blind, don't have wings, and they're only 0.005 inches long.
00:20:11There are over 30,000 species of wasps, but two groups in general.
00:20:16Social wasps live in colonies, and solitary wasps prefer to have their nests on their
00:20:21own and live alone with their young.
00:20:23Social wasps use the stingers as a way to defend themselves.
00:20:27Solitary wasps use them for hunting, together with the venom they have inside.
00:20:32Solitary wasps aren't into stinging people and won't go after us.
00:20:35They help humans by taking care of insect populations on their plates.
00:20:41Mud dauber wasps are close relatives to ants.
00:20:44The ants started out as some sort of predatory wasp themselves.
00:20:48But ants are even more related to bees than to social wasps, and they all have the same
00:20:52family tree.
00:20:54They have spread all over the Earth's dry land, populating virtually every imaginable
00:20:58ecosystem.
00:20:59There are more than 10,000 trillion ants on our planet at any moment.
00:21:03One study of a Brazilian rainforest says the overall mass of the ants that lived in
00:21:07that area was around four times bigger than the mass of all reptiles, mammals, and amphibians
00:21:13together.
00:21:16Ants are social creatures that live in pretty big colonies.
00:21:19They cover different roles, defending the nest, looking for food, rearing their young,
00:21:24or building nests.
00:21:27Not only their cousins can make a painful sting, ants are fierce too.
00:21:31Insect ants have the most painful sting of them all, and they live in humid jungle areas
00:21:36like the Amazon.
00:21:37Fire ants wreak billions of dollars worth of damage every year.
00:21:42The total amount includes the cost of medical and veterinary bills to treat their bites.
00:21:47They might be tiny, but have a pretty painful bite that makes you feel like your skin is
00:21:50burning.
00:21:52That's how they got their name.
00:21:54Some bugs out there can only live for a couple of days, or even hours.
00:21:58But ants are among the longest living insects.
00:22:00The queen ant of some species lives up to 30 years.
00:22:04They are some of the world's strongest animals, considering their size.
00:22:08A single ant lifts and carries a burden that's 50 times its body weight.
00:22:12They appreciate teamwork, so you'll often see them working together to move some bigger
00:22:15objects.
00:22:18Ants live on all continents except for Antarctica, same as their cousin wasps.
00:22:24Ants don't have ears.
00:22:25Instead of listening, they feel vibrations coming from the ground.
00:22:30Some don't even have eyes, so they communicate with others using the antennae.
00:22:34Also, they send messages to each other over chemical signals they release through the
00:22:38body.
00:22:40They leave trails of chemical signals that lead to some food sources or to attract a
00:22:45partner.
00:22:46They also send out warnings when they sense there's danger nearby the same way.
00:22:51Their biggest nest ever discovered was more than 3,700 miles wide.
00:22:56It was found in 2000 in Argentina.
00:23:02Thirty-three ant populations got together and created one enormous supercolony, with
00:23:07millions of nests and billions of ants working and living there.
00:23:11Mosquitoes, bedbugs, fleas, beetles, gadflies, millions of insects out there can't wait to
00:23:18feast on the most delicious dessert, you, especially if it's warm outside and you sweat
00:23:24a little.
00:23:25The good news is that not many bugs want to eat you.
00:23:29It's estimated that there are about 10 million species of insects in the world, and only
00:23:3414,000 of them feed on your vital fluid.
00:23:37A few hundred among this group regularly bite people.
00:23:40Um, okay, yeah, it's still too many.
00:23:44But it wasn't always like that.
00:23:46In the distant past, insects didn't dare to attack huge animals for food.
00:23:50They developed their ability to feed on blood from 200 to 65 million years ago.
00:23:56And there are several theories why this happened.
00:23:58Imagine small beetles and insects living in the nest of some flying dinosaur or a giant
00:24:04ancient bird.
00:24:05They feed on bird secretions, rotten grass, leaves, or mushrooms.
00:24:11Then a piece of skin or a feather of an animal falls on their table.
00:24:15Insects taste it, and they like it.
00:24:18Then a dinosaur arrives, and the beetles sense a familiar smell.
00:24:22They climb on its skin and bite it.
00:24:24Or they accidentally fall on an open sore of a bird and taste it.
00:24:28For insects, this would be the most delicious thing they had ever eaten.
00:24:33Yeah, I agree, it's a pretty low bar.
00:24:36Now other insects have a long, thin feeding tube called a proboscis.
00:24:40They use it to feed on plant sap or other smaller insects.
00:24:44And now, one of these beetles sits on a wounded mammal and accidentally bites it.
00:24:50The beetle's body already has the right enzyme capable of digesting blood.
00:24:54So, from that moment on, the beetle doesn't want to eat anything other than red nectar.
00:25:00The beetle bears offspring, and it takes over the ability to feed on blood.
00:25:06Imagine you've been eating grass and leaves all your life.
00:25:08And then you try some sweet banana pudding.
00:25:11You wouldn't want to go back to eating good old grass now.
00:25:14You'd always want dessert.
00:25:16Insects had the same feeling when they tasted nutritious blood.
00:25:20Yum-bo!
00:25:21One of the coolest theories says the thirst for blood in insects was caused by microbes.
00:25:27Blood isn't an ideal food for beetles.
00:25:29It doesn't have enough vitamins or nutrients for them.
00:25:32That's why a whole ecosystem of microorganisms had to form inside their intestines.
00:25:38These bacteria can synthesize some essential vitamins with the help of blood.
00:25:43These bacteria won't survive if they stop feeding on that red fluid.
00:25:47And when these bacteria disappear, insects have problems with development and reproduction.
00:25:53It's impossible to name the exact reason, since the transition from plant food to animal
00:25:57food happened a very long time ago.
00:26:01Since then, evolution has created a variety of ways to extract blood.
00:26:05The most famous blood-dependent species are, of course, mosquitoes.
00:26:10The female mosquitoes need blood to produce eggs.
00:26:13When mosquitoes fly, they feel the heat, carbon dioxide, and lactic acid in the air.
00:26:19These smells attract the mosquitoes, so they fly to their source – an animal or a human.
00:26:25Then the mosquito lands on its prey and inserts its proboscis into the skin.
00:26:30At the same time, it secretes saliva to prevent clotting.
00:26:34The unpleasant skin sensation you get after the bite is an allergic reaction of your body
00:26:39to the mosquito saliva.
00:26:41Then the female produces eggs and leaves the larva in stagnant water.
00:26:45It could be a pond, a drain, or an outdoor pool.
00:26:49Small mosquitoes feed on organic substances in the water, then grow up and go on their
00:26:54first hunt.
00:26:56Black flies also feed on blood, but they don't do it as carefully as mosquitoes.
00:27:01The female black fly lands on the prey, uses its sharp jaws to cut the skin, and devours
00:27:07its lunch.
00:27:08Fortunately, they don't bother people too much.
00:27:11Their main target is livestock and wild animals.
00:27:14Horse flies and deer flies are the real human enemies.
00:27:17Their bite is quite painful.
00:27:20Ordinary flies that live on the street and inside human houses are super annoying and
00:27:25they can feast on your skin without even biting you.
00:27:28Everything they need from you lies on the surface.
00:27:31You secrete sweat, proteins, carbs, salts, sugar, and other chemicals that the fly collects
00:27:37with its proboscis.
00:27:39And of course, it hardly understands that you're a living being and don't want to
00:27:43share your food with it.
00:27:45That's why a fly isn't afraid of you.
00:27:48You probably noticed that some people get bitten by insects more often than others.
00:27:52You could be going for a walk in the park, and they get all over you.
00:27:56But your friend walking right next to you wouldn't feel anything.
00:28:00Just means you're a sweetie.
00:28:02Scientists used to believe that some people actually just don't feel it when they get
00:28:06bitten.
00:28:07The human body doesn't have such a strong reaction to mosquito saliva.
00:28:10But recent studies have shown the number of bites depends on genetics and many other factors.
00:28:16Around 10-20% of people are just more attractive to predatory insects.
00:28:21How lucky or unlucky are they?
00:28:24Mosquitoes use a variety of senses to choose the perfect prey.
00:28:28They have carbon dioxide and humidity sensors.
00:28:31They also distinguish the odors of hundreds of different chemicals released by humans.
00:28:36Each smell has a specific meaning for different types of mosquitoes.
00:28:41There are thousands of nuances and shades of odors that can attract some mosquitoes
00:28:45and repel others.
00:28:47The mosquitoes that are more aggressive like things that ordinary mosquitoes can't smell.
00:28:52Some mosquitoes go for your legs, others like your neck.
00:28:56The food and drinks you consume play an important role in that too.
00:29:00They change the smell of your skin, the thickness of the skin, the amount of heat released,
00:29:05shades of color, and your blood type.
00:29:07All of that matters to insects.
00:29:10But there's something that attracts almost all insects.
00:29:13It's the smell of sweat.
00:29:15The dirtier you are, the more attractive you are to them.
00:29:19The unpleasant smell of sweat is created by millions of bacteria gathered on your skin.
00:29:24They attract mosquitoes.
00:29:26Some species like fresh sweat.
00:29:29Others prefer stale sweat with an unpleasant aroma.
00:29:33If you're clean, you'll become invisible to most of the little flying monsters.
00:29:38The smell also depends on your genetic features.
00:29:41The structure of your DNA directly affects the smells you release.
00:29:46That's why you can say that some people are sweeter when it comes to mosquito tastes.
00:29:51But mosquito bites are really nothing compared to those of fire ants.
00:29:55When it munches on your skin, it feels like it's on fire.
00:29:59These ants are especially dangerous for people with allergies.
00:30:02The tusk caterpillar is a beautifully vicious creature.
00:30:06It doesn't need to bite you to hurt you.
00:30:08This insect, also known as the southern flannel moth, is covered with thick fur hiding many
00:30:13poisonous thorns.
00:30:15A small prick with these spines, and you need medical assistance immediately.
00:30:20The Asian giant hornet is one of the most dangerous and painful insect bites of all.
00:30:26One hornet can be the size of a person's thumb, and its sting resembles a real needle.
00:30:31It's almost three times the size of a bee.
00:30:35These aggressive creatures can bite through clothes and even beekeepers' outfits.
00:30:39They attack in a huge swarm and can cause serious trouble to any animal.
00:30:44To fight them, people wear thick protective suits that look like spacesuits.
00:30:49But the main danger is that hornets attack beehives and greatly reduce the bee population.
00:30:54This can lead to a catastrophe on a planetary scale.
00:30:58Our planet and humanity need bees, not only because they produce honey.
00:31:03Bees pollinate flowers and plants.
00:31:06About a third of the world's food production would be impossible without bees.
00:31:11Cows eat vegetation that bees pollinate, and if all bees disappeared, it would greatly
00:31:16affect not only the health of cows, but all other cattle as well.
00:31:20A lot of fruits and berries would lose their rich taste if the bees stopped serving them.
00:31:25We get most of the cotton on the planet thanks to bees as pollinators.
00:31:29There would be a shortage of jeans and other clothes if the bees disappeared.
00:31:33The taste of many products would deteriorate, and the food would lose its useful properties.
00:31:39Whole species of flowers would disappear from the face of our planet.
00:31:43Humanity would have a really difficult time without bees.
00:31:46That would be a disaster, and that's another reason why giant hornets are so dangerous
00:31:52And they gotta go, if you ask me.
00:31:59Now it's obvious who can win a fight between a bee and a giant hornet.
00:32:03It's like a battle between a kitten and a saber-toothed tiger.
00:32:06And an army of bees against an army of hornets is like hundreds of kittens against hundreds
00:32:11of lions.
00:32:12It seems the hornets will win because one hornet can destroy more than 1,000 bees in
00:32:17less than an hour and a half.
00:32:20If this battle happens in real life, it will be more complicated, dramatic, and unexpected
00:32:25than you can imagine.
00:32:27A group of bees works all day.
00:32:29They pollinate plants and fruits and collect nectar from flowers.
00:32:33They work hard and return home to the hive at the end of the day.
00:32:36They don't notice an imposter flying among them – a giant hornet.
00:32:40It's bigger than one bee but has the same yellow-black color.
00:32:45No one pays any attention to it.
00:32:47The imposter enters the bee house without an invitation and makes a crackling sound.
00:32:51That's how its jaws snap.
00:32:53Hungry and angry, it begins the feast.
00:32:56In a matter of seconds, the hornet puts the hive into chaos.
00:33:00The hornet has a sting with toxic venom, but it can go without it here.
00:33:05For bees, the monster uses its sharp jaws.
00:33:08The hive's citizens attack the enemy, but it doesn't feel a thing.
00:33:12The situation is getting worse because bees can't live after using their sting.
00:33:17They sacrifice their lives to protect their home, to protect the queen.
00:33:21Unfortunately, all their attempts are in vain.
00:33:24After quenching its thirst, the hornet flies away to find new prey.
00:33:29Only one bee manages to survive.
00:33:32It escapes from the hive to warn the others.
00:33:35The bee visits every hive in the valley and reports the powerful enemy.
00:33:39All bees start preparing to attack.
00:33:41They're raising an army.
00:33:43Unfortunately, this is not enough.
00:33:46The giant hornet visits a new hive, but this time, bees are ready.
00:33:50They attack the enemy from all sides.
00:33:53For a moment, it seems bee stings are working.
00:33:56The hornet is weakening, its activity is falling.
00:33:59The hope of victory inspires bees with confidence.
00:34:02But not for long.
00:34:04At this moment, 10 other hornets fly into the hive.
00:34:08The first hornet marked the hive with a unique pheromone before the battle.
00:34:12This smell attracted its friends, and now the bees have no chance.
00:34:16In the wild, hornets leave the trace so others can find the tagged location.
00:34:22In a few minutes, 11 hornets destroy the hive of 25,000 bees.
00:34:27Recently, this sunny land was blooming thanks to bees.
00:34:31Now it has turned into a lifeless valley.
00:34:34Giant hornets don't want to spend time searching for hives.
00:34:37So they divide into groups and fly to different sides of the valley.
00:34:41They mark bee houses with the pheromone and start a large-scale cleanup.
00:34:46Their hunger and thirst for destruction are insatiable.
00:34:49Yeah, bees now know their enemy and notice it as soon as a hornet appears in the air.
00:34:54But it doesn't help.
00:34:56In each battle, they use a lot of strategies to fight it.
00:34:59Once bees tried to attack a hornet hive, but it was a pointless mission.
00:35:04No one pollinates flowers anymore.
00:35:06No one makes honey.
00:35:08Bees live in fear and are afraid to fly out of their hives.
00:35:12In this dark hour, when almost no hope's left, a slight chance of victory appears.
00:35:18A species of Japanese bees learned to defeat the enemy.
00:35:22The news spread all over the hives.
00:35:24The strategy seems to be working.
00:35:26They've managed to fight off several giant hornets.
00:35:29The fear goes away, and the bees are ready to fight again.
00:35:34In the real world, these bees learned to fight giant hornets.
00:35:38But other species can't do that.
00:35:40So bees are waiting for the enemy.
00:35:42They all know what to do.
00:35:44Finally, a giant hornet appears.
00:35:46Hundreds of bees attack it and wrap it with their bodies from all sides.
00:35:51They completely cover the hornet and start to tremble.
00:35:54The simultaneous vibration of all the bees heats up the enemy.
00:35:58The temperature is getting higher.
00:36:00The hornet can't get out.
00:36:02Bees seem to burn it with the energy of their bodies.
00:36:05A few minutes later, the giant hornet falls.
00:36:09Bees throw it out of the hive.
00:36:11Now they are confident of their victory.
00:36:14Another hornet arrives.
00:36:16Tired bees attack it and start to vibrate again.
00:36:19The next monster is coming, and another one.
00:36:2210, 20, 100 hornets arrive.
00:36:25Bees don't have so many resources and energy.
00:36:28The chances to win are zero again.
00:36:31To win once and for all, the bees must unite.
00:36:34All the hives, hundreds of millions of bees.
00:36:38A huge lifeless meadow is the location for the final battle.
00:36:42All the bees of the valley flock here.
00:36:45They are ready for the last fight.
00:36:48Silence ensues.
00:36:49Then, the air begins to vibrate.
00:36:52You can hear the buzzing of hornets from afar.
00:36:55They have increased their population hundreds of times because none of the animals can resist
00:37:00them.
00:37:01The defeat of bees is inevitable.
00:37:03But no one is going to back down.
00:37:06Two swarms collide with each other.
00:37:08This is not a battle.
00:37:10This is destruction.
00:37:12Hundreds of thousands of bees, but zero hornets fall to the ground in a few minutes.
00:37:17A whole species of insects are disappearing from the planet.
00:37:21But what is it?
00:37:22The field plugs into a strange fog.
00:37:25Bees and hornets don't see each other.
00:37:28Then, through the white veil, they appear.
00:37:31Silhouettes of giant creatures.
00:37:33They come into the middle of the action.
00:37:36Thousands of hornets attack them, but it's all pointless.
00:37:40Bees quickly fall down and lose consciousness.
00:37:43The hornets pass out too.
00:37:45Some are trying to fly away, but the fog doesn't let them.
00:37:49All insects fall asleep.
00:37:51Humans use gas to stop this fight.
00:37:53And this someone is the bees' main ally.
00:37:56A human has come into the game.
00:37:59In thick protective suits, people picked up euthanized hornets from the ground.
00:38:04They put them in one basket and the bees in another.
00:38:07The collection of insects lasts for several hours.
00:38:10Then the bees wake up in their hives unharmed.
00:38:14Hornets wake up in special containers.
00:38:16They're trapped, and now they can't hurt anyone.
00:38:20People are destroying hornets' nests all over the world.
00:38:23They won't allow them to multiply.
00:38:25Bees are responsible for the cycle of life in nature.
00:38:28They help many plants to reproduce, thanks to pollination.
00:38:32Bees serve as berries and fruits we eat.
00:38:35They take care of flowers that cows and other livestock feed on.
00:38:39Thanks to bees, we grow a lot of cotton.
00:38:42If the hornets destroy them, there will be a shortage of clothes made of this material.
00:38:46T-shirts, jeans, jackets – all this will be more expensive, and then will disappear
00:38:51from the markets.
00:38:53Many products will lose their rich taste and useful properties.
00:38:57Animals and people won't get enough vitamins.
00:39:00Cows won't produce milk.
00:39:01There will be no cheese, sour cream, butter, and other food.
00:39:05You won't be able to order a juicy burger at the restaurant.
00:39:08Eggplants, hot peppers, kiwi, blueberries, cranberries, and much more will disappear
00:39:14from the counter.
00:39:15All species of animals and plants will stop existing.
00:39:19This will lead to other crises, not only in agriculture, but also in the global economy.
00:39:24Meanwhile, the number of hornets will be growing.
00:39:28There are almost no animals in the world to control them.
00:39:31If people don't do anything, everyone will have to wear thick protective suits to walk
00:39:36outside.
00:39:37Hornets will get into houses and cars, attack people and pets.
00:39:41One giant hornet can cause a lot of trouble.
00:39:45Hornet sting is one of the most dangerous and painful among all other insects.
00:39:49It's like a red-hot needle.
00:39:51When a hornet sticks it into an opponent, it injects the poison into the skin.
00:39:56This toxin dilates the walls of blood vessels.
00:39:59The area around the bite turns red.
00:40:02This can last for several hours, or even days.
00:40:05The hornet is an aggressive creature.
00:40:07It can sting several times.
00:40:09Imagine what a group of these insects can do!
00:40:12To escape, you need to hide in bushes with dense foliage, or jump into the water.
00:40:17After the hornets fly away, urgently contact the hospital.
00:40:22Hornets can make people's lives worse.
00:40:24It's important to fight them.
00:40:26Unfortunately, bees can't do this.
00:40:28They're absolutely defenseless.
00:40:31Humanity is aware of this danger and does everything to control the hornet's population.
00:40:36That's why giant hornets have no chances in this fight.
00:40:40Now every bee returns to its usual way of life.
00:40:44Pollination, nectar extraction, honey production in hives.
00:40:49The valley is blooming again.
00:40:51Bees can sleep peacefully.
00:40:53People monitor the situation and watch for giant hornets.
00:40:57If one enemy appears, it means there's a nest somewhere.
00:41:01Special services track down the insects and find nests under old trees and in pits.
00:41:07A wildlife administrator at an airport can escort a deer off the airfield.
00:41:12They can keep a family of ducks away from the airport's wet pond.
00:41:15They can even shoo off wayward raccoons hiding in terminal buildings.
00:41:19What they can't do is deal with honeybees.
00:41:22In August 2012, hundreds of thousands of honeybees swarmed the body of a Delta plane heading
00:41:27to New York City.
00:41:29It happened when the crew was preparing to fuel the aircraft and load the luggage.
00:41:33It was time for master beekeeper Stephen Rapaskey to come into play.
00:41:37At that time, it was already the fourth swarm the airport had to deal with in the past few
00:41:41months.
00:41:42And when in May 2012, more than 15,000 bees covered a light on taxiway C, it caused a
00:41:48serious flight delay.
00:41:49That's when the airport's wildlife administrator started to Google nearby beekeepers.
00:41:53Luckily, he came across Mr. Rapaskey, who was later employed as a contractor.
00:41:59An ostrich babysitter's job is mostly stopping little ostriches from running off or pecking
00:42:04at one another.
00:42:05These specialists spend hours on end sitting and observing their charges.
00:42:10This work is far from simple and relaxing, though.
00:42:13Ostriches are known for being territorial and quick to anger.
00:42:16If they feel threatened, they can even charge at a person.
00:42:19An ostrich babysitter can never leave their guard down.
00:42:22Otherwise, one of the birds they're responsible for will immediately get into trouble.
00:42:28A legal bank robber is also called a penetration tester.
00:42:32These people test if banks have an appropriate level of security.
00:42:35In the past, the profession was rather straightforward.
00:42:38You had to literally break into a bank.
00:42:40These days, fake robbers still exist.
00:42:43But there are also specialists who check computer security and deal with identity theft.
00:42:48They can even impersonate police officers and try to install surveillance cameras in
00:42:51the vaults.
00:42:54A scuba diving pizza delivery person works in an underwater hotel in Florida.
00:42:58This specialist dons their scuba gear and sets off on the mission.
00:43:02They supply hotel guests with freshly baked hot pizza carried through the sea in a watertight
00:43:07container.
00:43:10A pet food tester's job is a combination of a researcher and a tester.
00:43:14It's often someone with a doctoral degree.
00:43:17This specialist doesn't taste pet food.
00:43:19They test it.
00:43:21They mainly analyze the food's nutritional value.
00:43:23They write all kinds of reports and look for ways to improve the already existing foods.
00:43:28Before actually trying the food, a tester smells it.
00:43:31Not every pet owner will want their kitchen to reek of fish.
00:43:34After that, it's time for tasting food.
00:43:37Testers are supposed to evaluate its texture, consistency, and flavor.
00:43:41Once it's done and noted down, they spit out the food.
00:43:45A nail polish namer looks at a newly invented color of nail polish and tries to describe
00:43:50it in a couple of words.
00:43:52They either think of what it looks like or how it makes them feel.
00:43:57Not so long ago, NASA and the European Space Agency needed professional sleepers.
00:44:03These organizations were ready to pay each of the 24 volunteers aged between 24 and 55
00:44:08more than $18,000.
00:44:11These people were supposed to spend 60 days lying in beds.
00:44:14They could read, play games on their phones, watch their favorite series.
00:44:18The only thing they couldn't do was get up.
00:44:20Plus, their beds had to be angled down toward the head end by 6 degrees.
00:44:26This way, scientists wanted to check how artificial gravity would affect the human
00:44:30body.
00:44:31One of the benefits of a golf ball diver's profession is working outdoors at all times.
00:44:36This person is in charge of collecting golf balls from the bottom of ponds on golf courses.
00:44:40It sounds like a simple and exciting job, but most of these ponds aren't taken care
00:44:44of regularly.
00:44:45That's why divers have to search for golf balls in muddy water with loads of algae.
00:44:50Sometimes, they even have to deal with snakes.
00:44:55A coconut safety engineer protects people from getting hit on their heads by falling
00:44:59coconuts.
00:45:00The consequences of such accidents are usually extremely unpleasant.
00:45:04That's why a coconut specialist climbs palm trees, often towering up to 60 feet high,
00:45:08and picks ripened coconuts.
00:45:10This way, they don't fall down on the heads of unsuspecting tourists.
00:45:15A potato chip sorter searches for clumped or overcooked chips when those are moving
00:45:18down the assembly line.
00:45:20Once they see a piece that looks off, they immediately get rid of it.
00:45:25Amsterdam is one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the world, and it's probably no
00:45:29wonder that hundreds of bicycles end up in the city's countless canals.
00:45:33Bicycle fishers pull more than 14,000 bikes out of the waterways every year.
00:45:38Most of these two-wheelers are old and rusty.
00:45:40A drying paint watcher is usually hired by a company to attentively observe the paint
00:45:45as it dries.
00:45:46They need to pay attention to any changes in the paint's color and texture.
00:45:50A skilled watcher should be able to do it both on the wall and under a microscope.
00:45:55This process helps to figure out how durable the paint is and make sure it won't fall
00:45:59off at the slightest touch.
00:46:01A drying paint watcher may also spend days painting sheets of cardboard.
00:46:05This helps to check new paint mixes, for example, how long it takes them to dry completely.
00:46:11A wrinkle chaser makes sure there are no unwanted wrinkles on shoes when they leave the factory.
00:46:16Their job description includes, for example, ironing wrinkles from shoes and shoe parts.
00:46:21To do that, a wrinkle chaser uses either a heated iron or a hot air blower.
00:46:26Sometimes it can be a special all-shaped device.
00:46:30Paper towels have either a light pleasant aroma or no smell at all.
00:46:34A paper towel sniffer is the very person who makes sure of that.
00:46:37These specialists are hired by manufacturers who want to confirm their production doesn't
00:46:41have an undesirable stench.
00:46:43Unfortunately, it's almost impossible to land this position.
00:46:47It's likely to be the tiniest job niche out there.
00:46:50It's a waterslide tester's responsibility to check whether waterslides in hotels and
00:46:54water parks are both fun and safe.
00:46:58Let's say you get yourself this job and start working as a waterslide tester for a big travel
00:47:02agency or a hotel chain.
00:47:04Then you'll spend most of your time on the move, traveling from one water park to another.
00:47:09Once you're there, you change into some swimming outfit and make it to the pool.
00:47:12You're supposed to take tons of trips down the slide.
00:47:15Pay attention to how fast you get down, how much water the slide uses, and how exciting
00:47:19the entire experience is.
00:47:23Sunglasses doctors work at large tropical resorts.
00:47:26Their main tasks are cleaning sunglass lenses, tightening screws, and solving all kinds of
00:47:31eyewear-related crises guests might have.
00:47:34A sunglasses doctor usually patrols the hotel territory in the afternoon, wearing a utility
00:47:39belt with special tools.
00:47:42A furniture tester is a person who tests beds, including pillows and mattresses.
00:47:48Hotels and other companies hire these people to literally sleep at work.
00:47:51Even though it sounds like a dream job, a good bed tester has to know a lot.
00:47:55For example, how to check if a mattress has dips by laying on it in a special manner,
00:48:00or how to figure out whether the edges of a bed are sturdy enough to sit on.
00:48:04A chewing gum chewer, also called a gumologist, spends their days chewing gum.
00:48:09They test its texture and flavor.
00:48:12They also need to describe how their mouth feels during and after the chewing process.
00:48:16Some days, a gum chewer has to blow lots of bubbles, depending on the stage of the project.
00:48:21But their main responsibility is researching and creating new flavors.
00:48:26If you don't have time to stand in line or you find this process boring and tiring, you
00:48:31can hire a professional line stander.
00:48:34For a fee, they'll replace you when you have a line for hours on end.
00:48:37For example, to get a sample sales item or a newly launched product.
00:48:42People with pretty hands, beautiful fingers, or nice feet can become body part models.
00:48:47Such professionals are often very well paid.
00:48:50They take part in photo shoots that advertise and promote particular products, for example,
00:48:55jewelry, nail polish, or hand cream.
00:48:58Dog surfing coaches are sometimes hired by hotels to teach guest dogs how to surf.
00:49:03It turns out pooches often learn to surf much faster than their humans.
00:49:08Marmite tasters have to taste every batch of the famous food spread made from yeast
00:49:13extract.
00:49:14They check whether the product has the necessary texture and consistency.
00:49:18They also pay attention if its taste is within the range of acceptable marmite flavors.
00:49:25Inside chimneys, on tree limbs, garages, support beams, and attics, you can find their nests
00:49:30everywhere around the house.
00:49:32They're not only going to ruin your picnic and mess with your food, or try to sting you
00:49:36if you make them angry, but they'll look for sheltered areas in your backyard to build
00:49:40a nest, most commonly in the ceiling of the covered outdoor porch.
00:49:44The important thing is to find a place that can support the weight of their home and the
00:49:48entire community.
00:49:50This is what paper wasps like to do, a group among 30,000 different wasp species.
00:49:56You can recognize them by the way they build their nests.
00:49:59The queen wasp starts building the first structure on her own.
00:50:02The males add on to it later.
00:50:04When you see a larger group of wasps flying in a similar direction, follow them.
00:50:09They leave their nest a couple of times a day to gather food, but they always go back
00:50:13to take care of their young and their queen.
00:50:16Also, they're buzzing pretty loudly while building a nest, so…
00:50:19Oh, there it is!
00:50:21Let's take a closer look at their nest and check what's inside.
00:50:25They're mostly umbrella-shaped, made of gray papery material.
00:50:29Wasps build it out of pulp or saliva.
00:50:31Their nests can get pretty big.
00:50:33The biggest wasp nest found was 18 feet across and 12 feet long.
00:50:38Paper wasps build smaller nests, while hornets, another wasp species, create bigger ones shaped
00:50:44like a football.
00:50:46The outer part is the hardest.
00:50:48Cells there are wider and denser.
00:50:50The root is the foundation the whole nest is built off of.
00:50:53Inside, you can see cells.
00:50:55It's where the larvae are.
00:50:57Wasps are similar to butterflies.
00:50:59They're part of a special group of insects that go through a metamorphosis, a process
00:51:03where an animal's body changes when becoming an adult.
00:51:07These cells are actually cribs for younger wasps that are about to grow up.
00:51:11As wasps build nests, they leave these cells open.
00:51:15The queens are in charge.
00:51:16They lay the eggs in these cells and seal them off.
00:51:20Cells look like hollow cylinders.
00:51:21They form some sort of hexagon, which holds the other cells.
00:51:26Inside the nest, everything's compact so that many of these cells can fit in a very
00:51:29tight space and still have an incredibly strong structure.
00:51:33Cells are the crib and the cocoon at the same time.
00:51:36Their size is big enough to fit the larvae together with its roommates.
00:51:41Grown-up wasps often leave some food with the egg, so the young, after it hatches, has
00:51:45the meal served.
00:51:47You can see the drones, which are male wasps, circle around from cell to cell.
00:51:51They want to make sure everything's okay and each larva has enough food.
00:51:56Nests need to be at a stable temperature with high humidity because of larvae.
00:52:00That's why wasps are working hard to insulate the nest.
00:52:03Such nests mostly have domes built of plant material, saliva, or paper.
00:52:08A wasp is roaming around, looking for the proper material.
00:52:11When it finds wood, it chews it up, mixing it with saliva.
00:52:15This way, the wasp makes the strong glue and lays it in thin layers.
00:52:19Layers need to be dense to make the entire nest stronger and sturdier.
00:52:23Ta-da!
00:52:24The core is done.
00:52:25The queen then wraps the nest in some sort of an envelope, light, thin sheets made of
00:52:30macerated pulp.
00:52:31It protects the cells inside and limits the entrance, so you can only go inside through
00:52:35one tiny hole.
00:52:37This way, they can easily maintain the internal humidity and temperature.
00:52:41If you're looking for honey, the wrong hide.
00:52:43Bees have it, not wasps.
00:52:45They mostly have black and yellow bodies, although wasps come in many different colors
00:52:50like blue, orange, green, red.
00:52:53Wasps and bees are almost the same size.
00:52:56Bees are chunkier and have more hair.
00:52:59Wasps are thinner and smoother.
00:53:01They have a waist and a narrow petiole.
00:53:03They both pollinate flowers, even though wasps do it a little bit less than bees because
00:53:08they don't have so much fine hair on their bodies, so the pollen can't stick to it.
00:53:13Bees farm nectar to produce honey, which is the food of their larvae.
00:53:17Wasps are way more aggressive.
00:53:19They eat meat, which means they bring other insects and bugs for their young, or their
00:53:23remains.
00:53:24Wasps identify each other by scent, but also, just like we do, by unique facial patterns.
00:53:30They are the first case where scientists discovered animals identifying faces the way humans do.
00:53:36Queens recognize other queens, and they're constantly battling to set up a hierarchy
00:53:40in the colony.
00:53:42That means each wasp knows who's in charge of work or food distribution, and who's there
00:53:46to bring the new larvae into this world.
00:53:49Wasps have a rich social life, so they need to memorize lots of faces, and also distinguish
00:53:54wasps that live in their nest from those that don't.
00:53:57Wasps are useful for humans because they eat insects, and by that, control the population
00:54:02of bugs that destroy crops.
00:54:05Wasps put so much effort to build their nests, and still, they only last when it's warm outside.
00:54:11They start building it from spring and live there until fall.
00:54:14The worker wasps don't survive cold winters, only some queens do because they have something
00:54:19similar to antifreeze in their blood.
00:54:21They're in charge of creating a new life for the new nest the next year.
00:54:25When a wasp colony is gone, some other species use their nests, like hoverflies.
00:54:30They look similar to wasps, but they survive winter.
00:54:34Just like wasp queens, hoverflies hibernate in sheltered places with a nice temperature,
00:54:39so abandoned wasp nests seem perfect.
00:54:41Hornets even come to active nests when wasps are still there and feed on debris.
00:54:46They don't even get stung.
00:54:48Only female wasps can sting, and they do it when defending themselves.
00:54:52A wasp queen can live up to a year, and worker wasps up to 22 days.
00:54:57Paper wasp colonies are mostly small.
00:54:59They have 100 to 200 cells, and up to 100 adults.
00:55:04Some bigger nests will have 400 cells, but yellow jackets build super nests you really
00:55:08want to stay away from.
00:55:10They have up to 15,000 worker wasps.
00:55:14Don't look up in tree canopies or outside of the house to find their nests.
00:55:18Instead, look within your walls or down so you don't stomp on them, because they build
00:55:22underground nests.
00:55:24Even though they're smaller than other wasp species, they're way more aggressive.
00:55:28Yellow jackets have strong instincts when it comes to protecting the nest, so they'll
00:55:32get mad if you violate their peace and try to sting you multiple times.
00:55:36They can do it, unlike bees that can only sting once.
00:55:40Bees will jab their barbed stingers into your skin, and that's also a part that holds their
00:55:44nerves, muscles, and digestive tract.
00:55:47That's why a bee can't survive losing a barbed stinger.
00:55:50Yellow jackets don't lose anything.
00:55:52Running away won't help.
00:55:53They'll follow you for several hundred feet if necessary.
00:55:56If you're near the water, don't dive in, because they'll patiently wait for you to run out
00:56:00of breath and go back to the surface.
00:56:04Let's walk into their nest.
00:56:05There's probably a hole in the ground because they mostly find some abandoned burrows.
00:56:10They use clay or mud to give it a firmer structure.
00:56:13One opening will take you beneath the surface, into their fascinating underground city with
00:56:17thousands of others, ready to defend their home and aggressively drive intruders away.
00:56:22These super nests can develop when winters are mild and there's a lot of food, for example,
00:56:27your pet's food or garbage.
00:56:29This way, more insects will survive the cold winter months.
00:56:32Then, some workers survive and continue with all operations in the nest, which only gets
00:56:37bigger and bigger.
00:56:39Such huge nests often have multiple queens.
00:56:42The bigger the nest is, the busier they are, so they're more likely to leave you alone
00:56:46even if you're somewhere around.
00:56:47Oh look, it's raining!
00:56:50They don't mind that much.
00:56:51During the hot summer days, they need water to hydrate anyway.
00:56:55If the rain gets too excessive, though, it will drive them outside.
00:56:59Many wasp species are social, but there are solitary wasps, too.
00:57:03They don't have a social organization.
00:57:06Each female builds its own nest and takes care of it.
00:57:09They mostly nest in the ground, but you can find them in rotten wood or hollow plant stems.
00:57:14A queen wasp can even find beetle tunnels in deadwood and make them her home.
00:57:19They feed on nectar, and you can often see them around flowers, preying on spiders or
00:57:24insects to feed their young.
00:57:28So you're at home, enjoying your evening tea under a warm blanket, when all of a sudden
00:57:33you see a huge, no, enormous mosquito.
00:57:37Its long and gangly legs have a span of your palm, and it clumsily bumps into all the obstacles
00:57:43it meets.
00:57:44Despite its awkward appearance, it's still terrifying.
00:57:47What if it carries malaria?
00:57:49What if it eats you alive in your sleep?
00:57:51Slowly, not to draw the monster's attention to yourself, you get out from your soft chair
00:57:57and run for it into the bathroom, lock yourself in there, and open the browser on your phone.
00:58:03After a few seconds, you draw a ragged breath of relief.
00:58:07Turns out it's just a crane fly, not a mosquito at all.
00:58:11It might look like a ferocious beast, but it's actually peaceful and even defenseless.
00:58:16Many crane flies don't even have mouths, so they don't eat at all, and those that
00:58:21have a mouthpiece will only munch on sweet flower nectar.
00:58:25Crane flies are really clumsy in the air.
00:58:28Their rather short wings are no match for their huge bodies and long legs, so they're
00:58:33slow and it's easy to catch them.
00:58:36Birds and frogs, as well as bats and cats, love them as a treat.
00:58:40The only way they can avoid being eaten is by losing a limb.
00:58:44Their legs easily break off even when nothing touches them.
00:58:49And if you're still unconvinced not to scram and set your house on fire when you see one,
00:58:54consider this.
00:58:55Crane flies can tell you if the water pool you're about to swim in is of good quality.
00:59:00If you see these bugs on or above the water, you're good to go.
00:59:04Even more, fishers often make their bait look like the crane fly larvae.
00:59:09This makes it more appetizing for the fish!
00:59:13But while googling, you get engrossed with reading up on some other weird and crazy bugs.
00:59:18For example, here's the human-faced stink bug.
00:59:22Nah, they don't really stink, at least for humans.
00:59:25They give off pheromones that attract other stink bugs, letting them know there's food
00:59:29nearby.
00:59:31The most peculiar feature of it is in the name.
00:59:34A man-faced stink bug has a face on its back with three black dots drawn in red.
00:59:40The vibrant color of its back warns predators that the bug isn't tasty or even poisonous,
00:59:46while the black eyes draw attention from them to the vulnerable head.
00:59:52Saddleback caterpillar's name is also quite telling.
00:59:55It looks like some creature from another planet with a bright green saddle over its back.
01:00:00And the saddle is, sadly, the only safe part of the thing to touch.
01:00:04The spines you see all over the rest of its body are sharp and highly poisonous.
01:00:09If you want to give it a friendly tap on the back, make sure you don't touch anything
01:00:13else.
01:00:14Well, well, we have a titan beetle next.
01:00:18Meet the largest beetle in the whole world!
01:00:20It can grow as long as your entire palm, complete with fingers!
01:00:24Seeing one in the wild can be a shocking experience, especially if it flies right in your face.
01:00:30But don't fret, thankfully, this giant is placid and won't bite you if you don't
01:00:36mean it harm.
01:00:37Still, if you make it angry, never let its mandibles touch you!
01:00:42The bug will hiss and bite, and what such snap can crack a pencil in half?
01:00:47What's interesting, an adult titan beetle doesn't feed at all.
01:00:51It doesn't need food to survive.
01:00:53As a larva, it gets enough energy to keep it well-nourished even when grown up.
01:00:57Ooh, I'd love that ability!
01:01:00An even more menacing-looking bug is a giant weeda.
01:01:04Living in New Zealand, these cricket-like creatures look like someone forgot to lock
01:01:08the portal to the infernal.
01:01:09A massive, beefy body with six thorny legs, long alien-looking antennae, and big mandibles
01:01:17that just might cut steel.
01:01:19Well, in fact, these giant insects are quite peaceful and won't bite unless provoked.
01:01:26And even if they do, it's not as bad as you might think.
01:01:29There are videos with weedas biting hands of people holding them and doing no harm at
01:01:34all.
01:01:35So don't let it scare you, even though such an insect might weigh more than a full-fledged
01:01:39sparrow.
01:01:41Atlas moths look like they have three heads, two of which are serpents.
01:01:46These pretty nocturnal fliers have strange shapes on the tips of their wings that look
01:01:50like snake heads.
01:01:51This seems to be their mode of defense from predators.
01:01:54And that's also why they're sometimes called cobra moths.
01:01:59In Southeast Asia and India, where they normally dwell, atlas moths are often found on butterfly
01:02:05farms producing silk.
01:02:07And that's some sight!
01:02:08The wingspan of one such moth can reach 10 inches!
01:02:12That's larger than your hand!
01:02:14Peacock spiders are perhaps the cutest arachnids in the world, second maybe only to their jumping
01:02:20cousins.
01:02:21They're so tiny, you probably wouldn't even notice one scrambling through your kitchen.
01:02:26But if you get a chance to take a closer look, do it!
01:02:30Peacock spiders are beautiful.
01:02:32They have large beady eyes, a shiny blue and red coat, and cute fuzz on their body and
01:02:37legs.
01:02:38And their mating dance is something else entirely.
01:02:41Too bad they only live in Australia.
01:02:44Another moth on the list – the hummingbird moth.
01:02:48Remember the atlas one, how huge it was?
01:02:50Well, this one's as big as a hummingbird and holds much more resemblance to its namesake
01:02:55than that.
01:02:56The speed at which it flutters its wings, the long tongue to drink flower nectar, and
01:03:02even the sound it makes when flying – all of it makes you wonder if it's really a
01:03:06moth after all.
01:03:07Of course, the fuzzy critter is absolutely safe, and you should consider yourself lucky
01:03:12if you ever see one.
01:03:15Long-horned orb-weaver spider is one of the most unusual arachnids in the world.
01:03:20It's just your regular spider in all respects, but for some reason, it boasts two long curved
01:03:26horns on its back.
01:03:28The back itself is bright orange to ward off predators, red means danger.
01:03:33But scientists are still unsure why this spider needs those prongs, so there's a web of
01:03:39mystery for you.
01:03:41The soft rustling of leaves underneath, a pile of them slightly moving, and a big, mighty
01:03:47horn shows up.
01:03:48It's the Hercules beetle, one of the largest beetles on the planet.
01:03:53Almost half of its size comes from that horn on its head.
01:03:56Thanks to this wonderful appendage, you know exactly it's a male.
01:04:01Females don't have it at all.
01:04:04Yet the name comes not only from the horn, but from the amazing ability of this giant
01:04:08to haul extremely heavy loads.
01:04:11Its strength is second only to dung beetles.
01:04:14A Hercules can carry as much as 850 times its own weight.
01:04:19If you ever see a bug with five heads wearing a pointy cap, no, you're not on another planet.
01:04:26It's a Brazilian treehopper.
01:04:28Straight from a sci-fi movie and onto your screens here, this insect is a real mystery.
01:04:34It's small and secretive, and much is still unknown about it.
01:04:38No one knows why exactly the treehoppers have these fuzzy balls on their heads.
01:04:43But they've only got one head, after all.
01:04:46That much is certain.
01:04:48Going for a swim in a freshwater pond somewhere in the African tropics, watch your toes!
01:04:54You can get a giant water bug hunting them.
01:04:56It's a predatory bug and the largest of its kind.
01:05:00With those huge pincers, it's no wonder it's commonly known as an alligator flea
01:05:05and a toe-biter.
01:05:07The bite of this water-dwelling monster is really quite powerful.
01:05:11It grabs its prey with the front legs and then slowly munches on it.
01:05:15And when I say it's a predator, I mean it.
01:05:18Giant water bugs' favorite food is fish and amphibians.
01:05:24Despite their name, scorpion flies aren't related to scorpions.
01:05:28They get this moniker thanks to their tails, which look a lot like the notorious arachnids.
01:05:33Seeing a flying scorpion is a daunting sight at best, but fear not, these critters are
01:05:38small and gentle, and they can't even bite you.
01:05:42Only the males have such a tail, and they use it to attract females.
01:05:47Hey!
01:05:48What do you imagine when you hear the words, walking stick?
01:05:52Certainly not a bug, but that's exactly what it is.
01:05:55Look at this twig and try to guess.
01:05:58Is there something alive on it or not?
01:06:00Yes, and no.
01:06:02This twig is not a twig at all.
01:06:04It is a walking stick.
01:06:07These insects have developed a fascinating camouflage.
01:06:10They're long and unassuming, able to stay still for hours on end, which makes them look
01:06:16like dry twigs.
01:06:17But as soon as you touch one, it scrambles away on its gangly legs.
01:06:23Thanks to their appearance, predatory birds often miss walking sticks in the dense foliage.
01:06:28And their Australian kin give off a pleasant scent, something like peanut butter, yum!
01:06:37Harlequin beetle looks formidable, and it is.
01:06:40This bug's body reaches 3 inches in length, and its front legs are often even longer than
01:06:46that.
01:06:47They help it crawl on trees, getting from branch to branch, and males also use them
01:06:52to impress females.
01:06:56Despite the looks, harlequin beetles aren't really dangerous.
01:07:00They won't bite you even if you corner them.
01:07:03And if you, by any chance, grow cabbage in your backyard, you probably would try to corner
01:07:09them.
01:07:10These bugs feed on its leaves.
01:07:12Still, better not to touch them with your bare hands.
01:07:15They exude a foul-smelling liquid that both stinks and stings, causing skin irritation.
01:07:21Wear those gloves, will ya?
01:07:24You know what also stinks?
01:07:26No, besides my socks.
01:07:29Squash bugs.
01:07:31If you have a garden patch, these pests can be more than just a nuisance.
01:07:35They could spoil the squash you've been lovingly growing for the fall, hence the name.
01:07:41And if you squash them, they begin to smell just awful, hence the pun.
01:07:46Squash bugs are also often mistaken for stink bugs, but those are even more notorious.
01:07:53They begin stinking even if you so much as touch them.
01:07:56Wow, sensitive!
01:07:59Giraffe weevil is probably the most harmless little fella on this list, but not much is
01:08:04known about it yet.
01:08:06It gets its name from the long, spiny neck.
01:08:09This adaptation helps them build nests and fight over other weevils for food and mates.
01:08:15It may be placid, but the red covering of its wings lets predators know the bug is either
01:08:21foul-tasting or poisonous.
01:08:23Or both!
01:08:25Likewise, you shouldn't eat monarch butterflies or their caterpillars.
01:08:30These beautiful insects are often kept as pets and were once almost chosen as the national
01:08:35insect of the US.
01:08:37But the little-known fact is that they're highly poisonous.
01:08:41Monarchs feed on milkweed, a plant containing a potent toxin.
01:08:45They've acquired immunity to it, and, as a side effect, butterflies accumulate the
01:08:50toxin in their bodies.
01:08:52This makes them a very unappetizing dish for birds and other predators.
01:08:56The concentration is so high that even humans that accidentally or not eat a monarch caterpillar
01:09:03can experience quite unpleasant consequences.
01:09:09Mealworm beetles are abundant almost anywhere, so you must've seen them.
01:09:13The most probable place to find them is a poultry farm, though.
01:09:18Mealworm larvae are often used to feed farm birds, and that's where the danger lies.
01:09:25Mealworms carry lots of diseases that can spread among birds and then to humans.
01:09:30They also like to eat chicken food and even insulation on farms, so they're not the
01:09:35best choice of a meal for birds, despite their name.
01:09:39And adult beetles produce a poison that's not harmful in small doses but causes allergy
01:09:44in high concentrations.
01:09:46If you happen to be at a poultry farm, make sure you avoid those beetles!
01:09:52Tiger beetles come in lots of shapes and colors.
01:09:55But they all have two traits in common – long, thin legs and sharp, sword-like mandibles.
01:10:02Those legs allow them to run faster than almost any other insect.
01:10:06So fast, in fact, that when they're on a hunt, they sometimes have to stop and look
01:10:10around for a few seconds.
01:10:13Their eyes and brain simply can't process the picture quickly enough, so they wait for
01:10:17the landscape to load around them.
01:10:21Most tiger beetles are harmless.
01:10:23But if you see one with an orange pattern on its back, don't touch it!
01:10:27These bugs produce cyanide to protect themselves, and this chemical can do a lot of harm both
01:10:33to animals and people.
01:10:35If you touch a tiger beetle and then rub your mouth or eyes, it might cause severe irritation.
01:10:42Oh, look!
01:10:43See that wonderful pattern on a flower over there?
01:10:46Looks like an impressionist painting.
01:10:48And in a sense, it is.
01:10:50That's a Picasso bug!
01:10:52These critters feed on plants and are mostly placid.
01:10:56But think twice if you want to take a closer look.
01:10:59It's not a ladybug.
01:11:00When touched, it'll emit a strong odor that's not exactly flowery.
01:11:06Worse still, you might have a hard time getting rid of the stench even hours after the encounter.
01:11:13Walking out of a pine forest, you notice a weird movement right beneath your feet.
01:11:18It looks like a little fuzzy train that's several dozen feet long.
01:11:22In fact, it's a defense technique of pine processionary caterpillars.
01:11:27They travel nose to tail in large groups to protect each other.
01:11:32They look really particular, but trying to disrupt the column isn't the best idea.
01:11:38Each car of this natural train has hundreds of needle-sharp bristles.
01:11:43If you touch any of them with your bare hand, they'll first cause sharp pain and then
01:11:48some other unpleasant reactions.
01:11:51Predators don't like pine processionaries for the same reason.
01:11:56Asian giant hornets live mostly in Asian countries, but they were reported in North America in
01:12:012019.
01:12:04These beasts are big, yellow, and vicious.
01:12:07It's impossible to confuse a giant hornet with any other bee or wasp.
01:12:11They're much larger and a lot more aggressive.
01:12:15But the worst thing about them is their stinger, which is more than three times longer than
01:12:19that of a honeybee.
01:12:22The stinger contains a really potent venom, and several stings from an Asian giant hornet
01:12:27can bring down even a large animal and a human too.
01:12:32And if that wasn't enough, these creatures can even spray their venom, aiming at the
01:12:36eyes.
01:12:37Needless to say, that's an unforgettable experience.
01:12:42Linomia is a rather unassuming little moth that doesn't pose a threat to anyone.
01:12:48But before it becomes a moth, it has to go through a caterpillar stage.
01:12:53And that's when you don't want to cross its path.
01:12:58Linomia caterpillars are covered in hair-thin bristles that contain a powerful venom.
01:13:03But even if you know not to touch them, you still might get pricked.
01:13:09Caterpillars perfectly blend in with tree trunks to add to their protection.
01:13:12A person might unknowingly lean on a trunk with linomias huddled on it, and they won't
01:13:18hesitate to stick those needles into the unlucky guest.
01:13:22If you get stung, immediately seek medical attention.
01:13:26Now, let's admit, all centipedes are terrifying.
01:13:30And perhaps one of the most horrible species is a Texas red-headed centipede.
01:13:36First of all, it looks like it's ascended from your deepest, darkest nightmares.
01:13:40A black, sectioned body, dozens of yellowish legs that look more like claws, and a red
01:13:45head with two long horns.
01:13:47A picture enough to make me run for it in a split second.
01:13:51Here I go!
01:13:53Being pretty large, these crawlers have a voracious appetite, munching on toads, lizards,
01:13:59and an occasional rat.
01:14:01Sometimes, when desperate, they can even catch a bat right in the middle of a flight.
01:14:07And of course, red-headed centipedes are venomous, fitting for such an appearance.
01:14:11Luckily, they're not interested in humans.
01:14:15And that's mutual.
01:14:18This critter isn't large, but it's very defensive, meaning you don't want to cross
01:14:22it.
01:14:23Its name speaks for itself – the Devil's Coach Horse.
01:14:27A total black bug that resembles an earwig, it will raise its behind and open its powerful
01:14:33jaws when threatened.
01:14:35This pose makes it look like a scorpion, and at this point, better back off.
01:14:41If you don't, the Devil's Coach Horse will start to emit a foul stench and ooze
01:14:47unpleasant liquid from its mouth for defense.
01:14:50And if that doesn't scare you off, it will eventually bite, which is quite painful, you
01:14:55know.
01:14:56Just leave the beast alone, okay?
01:15:00Velvet ants aren't ants at all.
01:15:02They're a kind of wingless wasp that just look a lot like ants.
01:15:07These bugs don't form large colonies and usually live alone, hiding in tall grass.
01:15:13This behavior has given them another nickname – cow ants.
01:15:17Because when a cow is grazing nearby, it might step on a velvet ant and get a painful bite
01:15:23in return.
01:15:26Humans also get bitten sometimes, especially if they walk barefoot.
01:15:30Velvet ants are venomous, but their venom is less potent than that of bees, so it's
01:15:35not really dangerous.
01:15:37Still, the pain from such a bite is serious.
01:15:41And if you want to squash this bug, good luck!
01:15:44They have an unusually tough carapace that protects them from other stinging insects
01:15:49and even birds.
01:15:52Puss moths get their name from their furry, fuzzy appearance.
01:15:56It's like their little fluffy flying kitties.
01:16:00Moths might be cute, but their caterpillars, as always, should only be looked at, not touched.
01:16:07Despite the even fuzzier looks, a puss caterpillar is covered in thousands of hollow spines that
01:16:13break off the critter's back upon contact and inject their venom.
01:16:19And what a venom it is!
01:16:21Puss caterpillars are the most venomous caterpillars in the U.S.
01:16:25One sting of this little monster can result in days and even weeks of sickness.
01:16:31And if you're allergic to it, then I can only wish you best of luck!
01:16:38Around 80% of all animals on Earth are insects.
01:16:43But how well do you know their world?
01:16:46Let's see if you can guess whether these amazing facts are myths or true.
01:16:51Here's the first one.
01:16:53Cockroaches can run on two legs, just like humans.
01:16:57Myth or true?
01:17:00That's correct.
01:17:00Cockroaches don't do it just for fun.
01:17:03Running on two legs is more energy efficient because it's easier for their little brains to process.
01:17:09If you take a closer look at the cockroach, you're going to spot that all pairs of legs have different lengths.
01:17:16This creates unnecessary drag when the cockroach needs to reach high speeds.
01:17:21Their nervous system can get overloaded and confused by trying to control all three pairs of legs.
01:17:27So it chooses to move just one pair, the rear legs that use energy most efficiently.
01:17:34Check this out.
01:17:35A full moon makes mosquitoes bite 500% more actively.
01:17:41Myth or true?
01:17:43True.
01:17:44Just like werewolves, mosquitoes get fierce when the moon is full.
01:17:48That's because they use visual cues and receptors to spot their next dinner.
01:17:53And it's way easier to do so when the moon is full.
01:17:57Mosquitoes spot movement by detecting infrared radiation emitted by warm bodies at distances of up to 115 feet.
01:18:08Saltmarsh mosquitoes took this to the next level.
01:18:11They're such gourmets that they can travel up to 40 miles just for the sake of eating.
01:18:19Only male mosquitoes bite.
01:18:21Does it sound real?
01:18:23Nope.
01:18:23In fact, only female mosquitoes do bite people or animals because they need a blood meal to produce eggs.
01:18:30On average, they take in about 5 millionths of a liter during one feeding.
01:18:36Meanwhile, male mosquitoes prefer eating plant juices such as nectar.
01:18:41It's enough for them to get the necessary sugar and boost their energy levels.
01:18:46And since males don't bite, they cannot transmit diseases.
01:18:50But females, on the other hand, can get infected with germs when they bite sick people or animals.
01:18:57Here's the next fact.
01:18:58Alligator ticks are called so because they can reach the size of a crocodile.
01:19:03True or false?
01:19:05That's false.
01:19:06But still, it's the largest aquatic insect on Earth.
01:19:10According to Guinness World Records,
01:19:12Toe biter, or sometimes called an alligator tick, can grow to be more than 4 inches long,
01:19:18which is basically the size of an average leaf.
01:19:21They can be found around the world, but they're especially common in North America.
01:19:27Toe biters perfectly blend into the landscape because their dark brown body mimics the leaves of the wetlands.
01:19:35They're predatory by nature.
01:19:37Usually, they eat small tadpoles and other insects.
01:19:40But sometimes, they take down bigger prey like snakes and even turtles.
01:19:46Those who experienced meeting these creatures claim that their bites are the most painful injuries a human can suffer.
01:19:54Flies can poison your food just by landing on it.
01:19:57Myth or true?
01:20:00Unfortunately, that's true.
01:20:02Not only are flies annoying, but they also regurgitate some of their stomach contents when they land on your food.
01:20:08And house flies are just one of many fly species that do so.
01:20:15It happens because flies don't have teeth.
01:20:18Instead of chewing, they use their straw-shaped mouth to slurp their food.
01:20:23They secrete digestive juices on their future meal as they land on it.
01:20:27And once the food has been liquefied, the flies are able to slurp it up.
01:20:32But the real danger lies with their feet, not their mouths.
01:20:36Flies spend a lot of time walking on all sorts of dirty things, which can be sources of disease.
01:20:42Studies have revealed that flies can transfer bacteria even if they're only in contact with an area for a short period of time.
01:20:50So if you ever spot some flies hanging around your food, it makes sense to cover it.
01:20:55Or, if you're concerned about your health, even forget about finishing your meal.
01:21:02Here comes the next fact.
01:21:04Females of toe biters carry their eggs on their backs.
01:21:08That's false. In fact, they lay eggs on their males' backs.
01:21:12After that, the future father carries the eggs as a backpack wherever he goes.
01:21:18As sweet as it sounds, this sight is still pretty disgusting, and it might send shivers down your spine.
01:21:25And more bad news. Even though they're called water bugs, they can fly.
01:21:29So don't just watch out below because they can approach from the sky.
01:21:35Next fact. Ants are one of the most dominant animals on the planet. True or myth?
01:21:43True. Collectively, ants alone contribute up to 20% of the entire animal biomass on the planet.
01:21:51These creatures are pretty ancient. They appeared around 160 million years ago
01:21:57and took over a wide variety of ecological niches.
01:22:01As a result, today they count about 16,000 different species with over 10,000 trillion individuals.
01:22:11Check this out. Butterflies taste with their feet. Myth or true?
01:22:18Sounds like fiction, but it's true.
01:22:20Butterflies have taste receptors on their feet to help them find their host plant and select food.
01:22:28Female butterflies land on various plants and drum the leaves with their feet.
01:22:33This technique helps them squeeze juices from the plant.
01:22:37Their legs have spines with receptors, helping them to detect the right match of chemicals in the plant juice.
01:22:44And once a female butterfly finds the proper plant, she lays eggs.
01:22:50Also, both male and female butterflies step on their potential food to sense the content of dissolved sugars.
01:22:57Just imagine what human restaurants would look like if people were tasting with their feet.
01:23:04Next fact. Butterfly wings are transparent. Does it sound real?
01:23:10That's true. Butterflies have the image of colorful and vibrant creatures.
01:23:15But strangely enough, their wings are transparent.
01:23:20They are covered with thousands of tiny scales, and these scales reflect light in different colors.
01:23:27But underneath all of those scales, a butterfly wing consists of several layers of chitin.
01:23:34It's the same protein that makes up an insect's exoskeleton.
01:23:39These layers are so thin that you can see right through them.
01:23:43Butterflies only live from two to four short weeks, and you can determine their age by the quality of their wings.
01:23:51With age, the scales begin to fall off the wings, leaving transparent spots.
01:23:58Fruit flies were the first living creatures to be sent into space. Myth or true?
01:24:04True. A long time before sending dogs or humans into space, scientists studied fruit flies' reactions to radiation and space flights.
01:24:13This helped to predict how space conditions and zero gravity might influence human beings.
01:24:20Because we share many genes with fruit flies.
01:24:24And after several decades of research, on February 20th, 1947, fruit flies became the first living organism to go to space and return.
01:24:36Next fact. Caterpillars have two eyes. Myth or true?
01:24:42That's a myth. In fact, the majority of caterpillars have 12 eyes called stemata.
01:24:48If you look closely, you can see six tiny eyelids on each side of the caterpillar's head.
01:24:55One pair of eyes is usually placed closer to the antennae.
01:25:00It's easy to believe that 12 eyes would guarantee excellent eyesight, but that's not the case.
01:25:06A caterpillar uses them to distinguish light and dark and navigate its way.
01:25:11That's why sometimes caterpillars move their heads from side to side.
01:25:16Maybe they just love rap music. But scientists believe that it helps caterpillars understand the distance between objects.
01:25:24A few species of caterpillars have between 10 and 14 eyes.
01:25:28But these are usually more primitive forms, which also have several features making them different from other moths and butterflies.
01:25:38Scorpions can breathe underwater. Myth or true?
01:25:43That's false. Although scorpions are not very good swimmers, they can still store oxygen to survive underwater.
01:25:50And some species can hold their breath for up to six days.
01:25:54Scorpions can survive underwater thanks to the so-called book lungs, which actually look like a book.
01:26:01The pages of that book act like membranes that store oxygen.
01:26:06Since scorpions don't waste a lot of oxygen on dry land, they can just store the rest in their lungs.
01:26:13And once a scorpion enters the water, it has around 48 hours to hang out carefree.
01:26:18After that, it will need to come out of the water for the next inhale.
01:26:22And this cute little creature is called the northern pseudoscorpion.
01:26:27It's the breath holding champion among scorpions.
01:26:29It can hold its breath for up to 17 days.
01:26:33Let's just hope it doesn't learn to fly.
01:26:38You know, scorpions are interesting little creatures. Six legs, two claws, and a powerful stinger.
01:26:44Now, what if humans also wore exoskeletons to protect themselves?
01:26:48So an exoskeleton is mainly made up of chitin, which is a complex material found in insects and reptiles.
01:26:55Thanks to their exoskeletons, these tiny creatures can defend themselves and perform acts of superhuman strength.
01:27:03If you wore a scorpion exoskeleton, you'd be able to climb up any building you wanted.
01:27:08With massive claws in the front, it would be easy to grab hold of things and even cut through them.
01:27:13Might be hard to open a bag of chips though.
01:27:16But at night, you'd have problems, UV rays.
01:27:19They wouldn't hurt you or cut through you or anything, but you'd definitely glow in the dark.
01:27:25Not exactly ideal for sneaking up on someone.
01:27:28A scorpion's tail is venomous and packs a nasty sting.
01:27:32You could use it to sting anyone in your way.
01:27:34Plus, it's long enough that you could defend yourself from a safe distance.
01:27:39Scorpions live all over the world in some of the harshest environments,
01:27:43from freezing icy landscapes to scorching hot deserts.
01:27:46If it freezes, a scorpion can even thaw itself out under the sun.
01:27:52This next creature also has two claws and six legs, but it doesn't have a stinger.
01:27:57It's the mighty crab.
01:27:58Its shell is a lot more powerful than a scorpion's, and it's surprisingly quick.
01:28:03So, you'd be seriously powerful in one of those.
01:28:06The downside is you'd only be able to walk sideways.
01:28:09And you'd be delicious to someone like me.
01:28:13There are almost 5,000 species of crab all over the world, each with special skills.
01:28:18In a crab costume, you'd definitely be a master digger.
01:28:22Sure, you'd be doing it sideways, but those legs and claws can get the job done.
01:28:27If there were crab-inspired bodysuits, they'd most likely be made for digging.
01:28:32You could even work underwater.
01:28:34You'd be agile, strong, and you'd look awesome.
01:28:38Humans in ant suits would dominate any construction site.
01:28:41Ants live in colonies around most of the world and rely on strength and numbers.
01:28:46But that doesn't mean each little ant's weak or anything.
01:28:49Just the opposite.
01:28:50There are actually already exoskeleton suits out there to help humans do some heavy lifting.
01:28:56But to use the actual strength of an ant would be a game-changer.
01:29:00An ant can lift around 1,000 times its own weight.
01:29:04In a group, they can drag a bird across a field without breaking a sweat.
01:29:09What's even crazier is that they can carry things while they're climbing straight up a wall.
01:29:13Or even upside down.
01:29:15Wow!
01:29:16Imagine a group of humans dragging a jet fighter up the side of the Empire State Building.
01:29:21There wouldn't be any need for bulldozers or cranes anymore.
01:29:24Just strap into an ant suit and get her done.
01:29:28Buildings could be inspired by those huge underground ant colonies.
01:29:32Ants are amazing at making tunnels.
01:29:35Imagine wearing a body suit that flies through the air like a stealth craft.
01:29:39If you wore a hornet suit, you'd have it made.
01:29:42They have a tough exoskeleton that's surprisingly light and easy to maneuver.
01:29:47Picture a fleet of strong flying acrobats.
01:29:50Oh, and don't forget the stinger.
01:29:52Most people think of hornets as pests, but they're not.
01:29:55They do a lot of good for the ecosystem, like eating up those pesky mosquitoes.
01:30:00Having a hornet suit would be essential for any kind of undercover work.
01:30:04Not so much for office work.
01:30:06A strong, aerodynamic body suit with a powerful stinger?
01:30:09Hey, sign me up!
01:30:12An armadillo uses keratin to make its body suit.
01:30:15You know, the stuff your hair and nails are made of?
01:30:18What makes it unique is that it's foldable and durable at the same time.
01:30:22It's made up of hexagon-shaped plates that go all over its back.
01:30:27When there's danger around, it can roll up into a ball.
01:30:31Scientists are studying how to make durable bending glass just like the armadillo's
01:30:35body plates.
01:30:36Humans wouldn't be 100% protected with this thing on, but they'd be able to withstand
01:30:41pretty much anything.
01:30:42You could jump out of a plane, no parachute, land on a rooftop, brush it off, roll off
01:30:48the edge, and land safely on a nearby car, all while being chased by tricked-out cars
01:30:52and helicopters.
01:30:53Nah, I've been streaming too many movies.
01:30:58Being one of the slowest animals on Earth does come with an advantage.
01:31:01You got a heavy shell on you 24-7 for protection.
01:31:05Just like armadillos, tortoise shells are made of keratin.
01:31:09What's sweet about its shell is that it grows with the tortoise.
01:31:12Crabs and other shelled animals have to keep replacing theirs as they outgrow them.
01:31:17Humans would be almost invincible if they wore tortoise suits, but they'd be insanely
01:31:22slow and draw a lot of attention.
01:31:24Still, if something goes down, you could just hide in your shell and wait it out.
01:31:30Hopping around from place to place would be pretty sweet, but what about flying?
01:31:35Grasshoppers can do both!
01:31:36They have a set of wings they tuck in behind them, which they unleash after their epic
01:31:40take-off jump.
01:31:42Oh, and they come in all shapes and sizes – great for camouflage!
01:31:46A grasshopper can jump around 10 inches high and 3 feet long.
01:31:51Far?
01:31:52Out?
01:31:53Well, that far.
01:31:54Anyway, it's all thanks to its back legs.
01:31:57Grasshoppers basically catapult themselves when they feel threatened or when they see
01:32:01something delicious.
01:32:03If you had a grasshopper suit, you'd be able to jump a whole football field in one go.
01:32:08You can forget about being stuck in traffic.
01:32:11It might not be the most powerful armor, but with those jumping skills and landing skills,
01:32:16getting your weekend shopping done would be a breeze.
01:32:19Or you could be the world's coolest pizza delivery person.
01:32:22Just imagine the tips!
01:32:24The biggest animal on this list doesn't really have an exoskeleton, but it does have
01:32:29a thick, thick skin.
01:32:31This massive beast's one of the most powerful mammals on Earth, and it comes with a strong
01:32:35horn near its nose for protection.
01:32:38Any guesses?
01:32:39It might look scary, but that humongous rhino's an herbivore – it's not gonna eat you.
01:32:45But rhinos do attack when they feel provoked, so keep your distance.
01:32:49Their thick skin makes them look like a tank, and it keeps them nice and warm.
01:32:54With your rhino suit on, you'd have a monster advantage over the average human.
01:32:58The thick skin suit would be really useful for extreme weather conditions, cold or hot.
01:33:03And a horn on the top of your head would send a pretty powerful message.
01:33:07And it's not just beep-beep.
01:33:10Jaws that look like antlers?
01:33:12Six legs?
01:33:13Meet the stag beetle.
01:33:15Its oversized jaws are used for impressing its friends, and sometimes for a little wrestling.
01:33:20But don't worry, these fearsome jaws aren't strong enough to hurt you.
01:33:24A human stag beetle suit would be pretty weird if you saw one walking down the street.
01:33:29But who knows what people will be into in 10-20 years?
01:33:33Maybe this'll be the future of wrestling!
01:33:36This reptile has the toughest skin of its kind.
01:33:39Reptiles are fearsome animals, virtually unchanged since the days of the dinosaurs.
01:33:44Our modern-day croc is still top of the food chain, with scales on its back and a very
01:33:49soft underbelly.
01:33:50Its scales are made from some of the most durable materials out there.
01:33:54And don't forget that powerful jaw!
01:33:56It can crush watermelons like chewing gum.
01:33:59A human croc suit would be fast, strong, but mostly limited to hanging around lakes and
01:34:04rivers.
01:34:05It's a great thing to be wearing during a game of hide-and-seek, though.
01:34:09You're it!
01:34:11This last creature takes the grand prize.
01:34:14Toughest exoskeleton ever.
01:34:16It's smaller than a rhino for sure.
01:34:18Presenting the iron-clad beetle.
01:34:21Even the name makes people's knees weak.
01:34:23This beetle has interlocking wing covers that make it twice as strong as it should be.
01:34:28But get this, it doesn't even fly.
01:34:30Yeah, it doesn't need to escape from danger.
01:34:33Whatever you throw at it, it can't be hurt, dented, or even crushed.
01:34:37Not even by a car!
01:34:39These beetles can live up to 2 years, way longer than other beetles who only stick around
01:34:44for a couple of weeks or months.
01:34:46A human suit based on the iron-clad beetle?
01:34:49Wow, that name gets me every time.
01:34:51It'd probably be resistant to just about any collision.
01:34:55Walking through moving traffic would be like strolling in the park on a warm afternoon.
01:34:59This suit would be perfect for deep-sea exploration since it's resistant to pressure.
01:35:04That'd make it excellent for outer space adventures too!
01:35:09Meet the tiny terrors of our world.
01:35:12Fire ants.
01:35:13When they sting, they inject venom that can cause serious trouble.
01:35:17For most people, it's just a fiery sensation in raised bumps.
01:35:21But for others, especially those who are allergic to it, it's life-threatening.
01:35:26These ants set up their camps right under your feet.
01:35:28They're quick to swarm and are fiercely protective of their colonies.
01:35:32They show no mercy to intruders.
01:35:35Their stings are rated about 1.2 on the Schmidt Insect Sting Index, where 4 is the maximum.
01:35:43It feels like a sudden jewel, but the sensations are less burning than when a bee stings you.
01:35:48They originated in tropical regions like Central and South America, but now you can find them
01:35:54even in some temperate zones like North America.
01:35:58In their colonies, fire ants have a strict hierarchy of queen, winged males and females,
01:36:04and different types of workers.
01:36:06They communicate through chemicals and sounds.
01:36:09The most famous member of this genus is the red imported fire ant.
01:36:13They've come from South America and invaded the southern U.S.
01:36:17They build large mounds, making farming difficult and damaging crops.
01:36:21It's almost impossible to control them.
01:36:24And on top of that, there's now the rise of another invasive species – the tawny
01:36:29crazy ant.
01:36:30This one poses a threat to native ecosystems.
01:36:33Turns out ants can be dangerously unfriendly.
01:36:38Colorful blister beetles are among the 10 most dangerous insects in the world.
01:36:42Luckily, they're not lethal to humans unless they go for you in a big pack.
01:36:47However, they pose a serious threat to large animals such as horses.
01:36:52Blister beetles produce a toxin called cantharidin, which causes skin blistering in humans.
01:36:58In the past, people believed it could treat warts and even rabies, and some even used
01:37:02it in love potions.
01:37:03However, it's a risky game.
01:37:06In the 1950s, a man was jailed for giving cantharidin-laced candies to two women, resulting
01:37:12in a tragic outcome.
01:37:14These beetles are not to be messed with.
01:37:16Handling them or ingesting them is very dangerous.
01:37:19They're attracted to alfalfa and hay.
01:37:22If a horse eats either of those, even a few beetles can release enough cantharidin to
01:37:27end it.
01:37:30This cute caterpillar from South America is called Linomia obliqua, and it's the most
01:37:35dangerous caterpillar on Earth.
01:37:37It's responsible for several fatalities due to its potent venom.
01:37:41It's the larval stage of the giant silkworm moth.
01:37:45When it grows up, it becomes a beautiful and harmless silkworm.
01:37:49If you see them as youngsters, it's better to stay away.
01:37:52Its toxicity stems from venom-injecting bristles.
01:37:56They serve as a defense mechanism against predators.
01:37:59The poison messes up how your blood clots and can cause really bad symptoms like burning
01:38:04feelings, throwing up, kidney problems, and sometimes even lethal outcomes.
01:38:09A single bite probably won't lead to anything horrifying.
01:38:13It delivers only a tiny amount of venom.
01:38:15These caterpillars tend to congregate, and they're quite good at camouflage.
01:38:20This increases the risk of multiple stings.
01:38:25Locusts themselves aren't dangerous to humans.
01:38:28They're ordinary, loud grasshoppers.
01:38:30But they're infamous for their swarming behavior.
01:38:33These swarms often happen when there's a dry period with no rain.
01:38:37And then suddenly, a lot of rain falls, and plants start growing fast.
01:38:42Once it begins, it's nearly impossible to stop.
01:38:44They can become a destructive force within minutes.
01:38:48Throughout history, locust plagues have been devastating, wreaking havoc on crops and farmland.
01:38:53What's interesting is that the term locust can mean different things depending on where
01:38:58you're from.
01:38:59In some places, we're talking about cicadas, which are also known for their loud sounds.
01:39:04But true locusts are ancient creatures, relatively unchanged since the Triassic era.
01:39:10They're among the oldest insects on Earth.
01:39:13Wasps, hornets, and even bees can be extremely dangerous, especially to those allergic to
01:39:20their stings.
01:39:21The Asian giant hornet is the largest of the wasps.
01:39:24It can reach up to 2 inches in size.
01:39:27It packs a powerful venom that can cause serious discomfort and even spray into people's eyes.
01:39:33There's an even more venomous species in the Philippines called Vespa luctuosa, not to
01:39:38be confused with Expecto Patronum.
01:39:40Any Harry Potter fans?
01:39:42Anyway, fatalities because of wasps or bees are rare but not unheard of.
01:39:47In the UK, about 10 people pass away each year from bee or wasp sting reactions.
01:39:54Always stay cautious.
01:39:55All these insects are very territorial and will fiercely defend their hives.
01:40:00When provoked, they signal danger to nearby bees and instigate a mass defense effort.
01:40:06If you need to handle them, it's best to call professionals.
01:40:12A flea is tiny and humble, but it left a colossal impact on human history and health.
01:40:18They're not just annoying pests, they're notorious carriers of various human conditions,
01:40:23and are responsible for some of the worst outbreaks in history.
01:40:27Back in the 14th century, I forget where I was, but the bubonic plague wiped out over
01:40:3225 million people in Europe, and fleas were a big part of spreading it.
01:40:38Fleas spend their lives searching for warm-blooded hosts to feed on, whether it's reptiles,
01:40:43mammals, pets, or humans.
01:40:45Despite their tiny size and absence of wings, they make up for it with impressive jumping
01:40:50abilities.
01:40:51They can leap 6 feet and jump over 1,200 feet in the air.
01:40:55A flea bite might seem like a minor annoyance, causing itching and inflammation.
01:41:01But a lot of them can lead to anemia in their hosts.
01:41:04Of course, the most dangerous part about them is the viruses, bacteria, and worms they transmit.
01:41:11Kissing bugs mostly live in both Americas, with smaller populations in Africa and Asia.
01:41:17Despite the friendly name, they're great at passing on bacteria, viruses, and parasites.
01:41:23One of the parasites they carry is trypanosoma cruzi.
01:41:27It's the culprit behind illnesses that affect millions globally and claim thousands of lives
01:41:31each year.
01:41:33What's interesting is that symptoms don't often appear until 10 or 30 years after being
01:41:38bitten.
01:41:39They typically manifest as heart failure, digestive issues, or nervous system problems.
01:41:44They don't actually kiss you.
01:41:46They suck on you and are attracted to their prey by breath.
01:41:50If you breathe through your mouth, you're a target.
01:41:52They're messy biters, often biting chaotically and almost uncontrollably, which only adds
01:41:58to their unsettling nature.
01:42:02Many have heard of the tsetse fly, an unusual and scary insect from tropical Africa.
01:42:08These flies are carriers of one of the most devastating human diseases, sleeping sickness.
01:42:14Similar to the kissing bug, the tsetse fly transmits trypanosomes, the parasites that
01:42:19cause sleeping sickness.
01:42:21They acquire this parasite from an infected host or from within the fly's own body.
01:42:26Sleeping sickness doesn't strike immediately.
01:42:28After a bite, it takes 1-3 weeks for symptoms to appear.
01:42:32Fever, headaches, joint pains, and itchiness.
01:42:36As the illness progresses, it can invade the nervous system, leading to confusion, insomnia,
01:42:41and loss of balance.
01:42:43Without treatment, it can result in a coma and then a fatal outcome.
01:42:47Luckily, sleeping sickness can be treated, and the number of losses is declining.
01:42:52The tsetse fly holds historical significance too.
01:42:56Its presence has hindered European colonial expansion in Africa.
01:43:02And the crown of the most dangerous insect in the world goes to…
01:43:06The mosquito.
01:43:07It's no surprise why.
01:43:09Despite their small size, they wield a massive impact.
01:43:13They're not only responsible for more human losses annually than any other animal, but
01:43:17they've also left an indelible mark on history.
01:43:21These little insects influence the rise and fall of entire civilizations.
01:43:25For example, malaria significantly weakened ancient civilizations such as in Rome and
01:43:31Greece.
01:43:32What's interesting is that it's not just the mosquitoes themselves that are dangerous,
01:43:36but the parasites.
01:43:38Bacteria and viruses carry and transmit through their bites.
01:43:41These tiny horrors spread a buffet of diseases.
01:43:45Despite malaria, there's also yellow fever, which, just like with the tsetse fly, hindered
01:43:50European colonization efforts in tropical regions.
01:43:54The scariest one of them is the Anopheles mosquito.
01:43:56It's the apex predator of the insect world.
01:43:59It's responsible for more fatal outcomes and illnesses than any other insect.
01:44:05So how do we combat these tiny yet mighty foes?
01:44:09With prevention.
01:44:10We need to eliminate standing water in our surroundings and practice mosquito control
01:44:15measures.
01:44:16We must always stay one step ahead to protect ourselves and our communities from dangerous
01:44:21insects.
01:44:29So Barry is running along the shore of a lake as fast as possible.
01:44:33He knows that if he stops, his life will turn into a nightmare in no time.
01:44:38A thousand mosquitoes are about to bite him.
01:44:41But what he doesn't know is that he'll be okay after all.
01:44:45So don't be afraid, Barry, and stop.
01:44:48Mosquitoes are slow.
01:44:49They fly at a little more than 1 mile per hour.
01:44:52And you can't run forever.
01:44:55So after a couple of hours of pointless running, Barry stops.
01:44:59He sweats and emits a smell attracted to insects.
01:45:04One little mosquito flies up to him.
01:45:06It buzzes next to his ear, sits on his sweaty neck and bites.
01:45:10The insect pierces the skin with a special mouth apparatus called a proboscis.
01:45:16The mosquito starts pumping blood through this needle.
01:45:19Its saliva gets into Barry's body and causes an allergic reaction.
01:45:23More precisely, it's Barry's immune system that starts this reaction.
01:45:28It perceives the mosquito's saliva as an enemy and sends a unique chemical substance
01:45:33to the bite site.
01:45:35The fight between this substance and the invader causes an allergic reaction, redness,
01:45:40swelling, and the worst thing, itching.
01:45:44Barry can scratch himself for several hours or even days.
01:45:47It all depends on how his body will react to the bite.
01:45:50The mosquito fills up with Barry's blood and flies away.
01:45:54It does it not for pleasure, but because it needs to lay eggs.
01:45:59Protein in the blood is necessary for these insects to reproduce.
01:46:03Their eggs can't grow without this substance.
01:46:06Yeah, almost all biting mosquitoes are female.
01:46:10Male mosquitoes prefer plant and flower nectar.
01:46:13Hey, they're guys!
01:46:15So the female mosquito flies away from Barry.
01:46:18She sits down on the shore of the lake where a large mosquito base is located.
01:46:23Here these insects lay eggs, drink water, and chill in the sun.
01:46:27There are several hundred thousand of them, and they're all hungry.
01:46:32The female mosquito brings with her the smell of Barry's sweat, which is attractive to
01:46:36the rest of the mosquitoes too.
01:46:39There are about 3,500 species of these insects on Earth.
01:46:44Some of them love the smell of sugar, perfume, or deodorant, and some enjoy the smell of
01:46:49dirty feet.
01:46:52Your attractiveness to mosquitoes also depends on what you've eaten today.
01:46:56Lots of candies and chocolate?
01:46:58Great, now mosquitoes feel a faint sweet smell coming from you.
01:47:03Have you eaten garlic and onions?
01:47:05Mosquitoes probably won't want to deal with you.
01:47:08And not only they, most likely.
01:47:11So the smell of Barry's sweat is perfect for all mosquitoes on the shore.
01:47:15They go mad, take off, and head for the poor guy.
01:47:19If you walk near the water when the evening comes, if you're sweaty, wearing black clothes,
01:47:24and have O-type blood, then you have all the chances to get bitten by mosquitoes.
01:47:29And Barry meets all the criteria.
01:47:32The first mosquitoes land on Barry's feet.
01:47:34They bite him and start pumping blood.
01:47:37One tiny mosquito can draw a droplet of blood the size of half a grain of rice.
01:47:42It's nothing at all.
01:47:44But several dozen of these bites?
01:47:46It's bad.
01:47:47Barry fights mosquitoes off with his hands, but the insects keep coming.
01:47:51They can't miss such a delicious dinner.
01:47:5410, 20, 50, 100 mosquitoes!
01:47:59They cover Barry's legs.
01:48:00The skin swells and turns red.
01:48:03Barry feels a burning sensation.
01:48:05His immune system is working at 100% trying to reduce the damage and drive the enemies
01:48:10away.
01:48:11But the more actively Barry's body defenses work, the worse he feels.
01:48:17Mosquitoes sit on his hands and on his wet t-shirt stuck to his body.
01:48:20Yes, their mouthpiece can pierce a thin layer of fabric.
01:48:24Barry tries to run away.
01:48:26He stumbles over a rock and falls.
01:48:29Some insects finish their feast and fly away to tell their friends about the free food.
01:48:34Mosquitoes from all over the lake come to try Barry.
01:48:38Two hundred mosquitoes are drinking his blood.
01:48:40Three, five, seven, nine hundred.
01:48:43Now one thousand mosquitoes have bitten him.
01:48:47Together they have pumped out a small glass of blood.
01:48:50But the worst thing is they continue biting him.
01:48:53Nothing can stop them now even though they were supposed to bite him only a thousand
01:48:57times.
01:48:58Well, the only chance to escape is water.
01:49:01Barry, ignoring the itch, gets up and runs to the shore of the lake.
01:49:06Meanwhile, 100,000 mosquitoes have already bitten him.
01:49:09Sorry, Barry, but we have to entertain the audience.
01:49:12Don't worry, your recovery will be fast.
01:49:15He's getting closer and closer to the water.
01:49:18Mosquitoes are flying in front of his face so he can't see the road.
01:49:22But Barry keeps running, waving his hands.
01:49:25Meanwhile, you know this moment when you're sleeping and one mosquito flies into the room
01:49:30through the window?
01:49:31Just one.
01:49:32But its squeaky sound is so annoying.
01:49:35And now imagine a million mosquitoes making this noise.
01:49:39It's like a saxophone playing high notes.
01:49:42Sorry if you're a sax player.
01:49:43Well, Barry is slowing down.
01:49:46He's exhausted, and his heart is beating too fast.
01:49:49He no longer feels bites and itches.
01:49:52His body is becoming weak, but he's still moving toward the lake.
01:49:56Mosquitoes have already taken 3 soda cans of blood from him.
01:50:00And this is serious.
01:50:02Barry is running a fever and has clouded consciousness.
01:50:05His immune system is not coping.
01:50:08Barry can't run anymore.
01:50:09He's struggling to walk.
01:50:11It's getting harder to make every next step.
01:50:14The shore is only a few feet away, but it doesn't matter anymore since he has no energy
01:50:19to move.
01:50:20So, he just sits on the grass and accepts the situation.
01:50:24He's lost a large soda bottle of blood, and this is a lot.
01:50:28This is probably the most large-scale attack of mosquitoes on humans.
01:50:33And then, at the very last moment, salvation appears.
01:50:37A frog croaks nearby.
01:50:39And another one.
01:50:41Several dozen jumping animals are approaching the shore.
01:50:44They release their tongues like spears and catch mosquitoes.
01:50:48This gives Barry hope.
01:50:49He makes a last-ditch effort to reach the lake.
01:50:52He jumps in.
01:50:53Yeah!
01:50:54What a relief!
01:50:56Cold, fresh water envelops his whole body and relieves the itching and irritation from
01:51:00the bites.
01:51:02He waits in the water while the frogs dine on the mosquitoes.
01:51:06The remaining insects fly away.
01:51:08Barry crawls out of the lake.
01:51:10He sees frogs catching mosquitoes and realizes that these annoying insects are necessary
01:51:16for our planet.
01:51:18Frogs live thanks to these tiny monsters.
01:51:20And besides frogs, there are many other animals that feed on mosquitoes.
01:51:25Lizards, spiders, bats, birds, turtles… it's a huge list!
01:51:30Mosquitoes are an endless source of food for them.
01:51:33One pair can lay 200 eggs.
01:51:35They grow fast, and their lives are short.
01:51:38But if all these insects disappear, an ecological catastrophe may begin.
01:51:43Entire animal species may vanish from the face of the Earth.
01:51:48The frogs that save Barry wouldn't exist.
01:51:51Without frogs, the population of other insects, like flies, would begin to grow.
01:51:55They would reproduce uncontrollably.
01:51:58And then, like falling dominoes, other problems will follow.
01:52:02So, Barry, don't be angry at mosquitoes.
01:52:05It's just nature.
01:52:07You better deal with your itchy problem.
01:52:09His whole body is red, covered with little bumps.
01:52:12He starts scratching himself, but this doesn't help.
01:52:15He only makes it worse.
01:52:17As long as mosquito saliva remains in his body, and the immune system fights it, Barry
01:52:22will feel this itch.
01:52:24Fortunately, there are many oils and ointments to alleviate these effects.
01:52:28But the best way to get rid of the problem is to ignore it.
01:52:32Barry just needs to distract himself with something.
01:52:35Then the urge to scratch will disappear.
01:52:39Barry has survived so many mosquito bites without harmful consequences.
01:52:44But some people have problems dealing with just one.
01:52:47It depends on whether a person has allergies.
01:52:50Some have a small itchy bump, and others have severe inflammation.
01:52:54As for Barry, wasn't he swell?
01:52:57I mean, didn't he swell?
01:52:59Ok, I'll stop.
01:53:00The best way to protect yourself is to use insect spray.
01:53:04Now Barry sprays himself with this substance before every run and feels safe.
01:53:09But let's have a look at another situation.
01:53:12What if Barry gets attacked by huge dogs?
01:53:15Hey, just kidding.
01:53:16Relax, Barry.
01:53:17Ah, it's a lovely day for a boat ride in the swamp.
01:53:23If not for these mosquitoes, then today would be perfect.
01:53:27But for some reason, the mosquitoes keep getting bigger the further you go into the swamp.
01:53:33They started out as tiny, almost invisible insects, and can now be the size of your thumb.
01:53:38You can hear their buzzing as they whiz past you.
01:53:41You go deeper to investigate why they're so big.
01:53:44Eventually, you see a large cluster of mosquitoes the size of your hand buzzing around.
01:53:50They notice you and start flying toward you.
01:53:53You grab a branch and start swatting them away.
01:53:56You run back to your boat and try to escape, but they follow you, and some manage to land on you.
01:54:02You swat them away, but more mosquitoes pop out of nowhere the size of a basketball.
01:54:08You start your boat and speed your way back to the mainland.
01:54:11As you arrive, you see everyone running away in a frenzy, panicking because of the giant mosquitoes.
01:54:18Some of them are as big as a large dog.
01:54:21People are ducking under picnic tables, while some are running back to their cars and driving away.
01:54:26You get off the boat and run toward the closest grocery store along with dozens of people.
01:54:31The employees lock up the gates, but the large glass panels show the mosquitoes multiplying.
01:54:37They're getting bigger and bigger until you can see one as big as a car zipping by.
01:54:42It's so strong that it landed on an empty car and crushed it.
01:54:47Everyone inside is ducking away out of fear.
01:54:49You try to calm everyone down and not make any noise.
01:54:52The mosquitoes are landing on the glass panel, blocking out the natural light.
01:54:57It's getting dark inside.
01:54:59Everyone turns up the volume on the TV to the breaking news.
01:55:03Mosquitoes are flying rampant all across the continent, destroying natural resources and
01:55:08infiltrating cities.
01:55:10People are advised to stay indoors until further notice.
01:55:13The mosquitoes notice that there are people in the store, so they try to get in by force.
01:55:18A car-sized mosquito flies around in the sky, unaware of what's happening below.
01:55:24Everyone hears some noise coming from the back room.
01:55:27The employees realize they didn't lock the doors.
01:55:30A large mosquito enters and knocks down everything.
01:55:34Everyone runs around in a panic while throwing random stuff at it.
01:55:38Some people grab a fire extinguisher and spray it until it flies to the back room.
01:55:43Some employees lock the door and barricade it so that nothing can enter.
01:55:48Everyone waits nervously.
01:55:49The TV broadcasts some live coverage of how giant mosquitoes are flying everywhere.
01:55:54A helicopter is forced to land because the mosquitoes are flying around wildly in the
01:55:58skies.
01:56:00Everyone shudders when they hear the sound of more mosquitoes buzzing around near the
01:56:04back door.
01:56:06Hours pass, and more mosquitoes keep coming endlessly.
01:56:10There are no people outside, and much of the urban and landscape design in the park is
01:56:14destroyed or overrun by giant insects.
01:56:18Some people eat whatever is available, while some are sleeping.
01:56:22A piece of breaking news interrupts the live coverage and shows that there will be armored
01:56:26buses ready to pick up people near the picnic site.
01:56:29However, the buses won't drive to hot spots since it'll be too dangerous.
01:56:34The only way to get on them is by being on the highway in two hours.
01:56:39Everyone tries to call their loved ones, but the cell towers have been knocked down, and
01:56:43no one can call anyone.
01:56:44The mosquito that broke in a while ago destroyed the only landline that was present.
01:56:49People are arguing about whether they should stay or go.
01:56:53More insects cover the only clear patches of the sky until the sun disappears.
01:56:58The people split into two parties, those who are leaving to catch the bus and those who
01:57:03want to stay.
01:57:04The employees know a back way that can quickly lead to the highway.
01:57:08The only problem is that it'll take around 20 minutes on foot, and there are no cars
01:57:12to use.
01:57:13The way is tricky.
01:57:15First, they would need to escape through the main entrance and head through the bushy forest
01:57:19behind the dumpsters.
01:57:21Over there, they can enter a building, possibly through the sewers, which will lead to the
01:57:25lake next to the highway.
01:57:28The first party decides to leave.
01:57:30They prepare supplies for the breakout.
01:57:32Every second, more mosquitoes arrive, covering the sky.
01:57:36They gear up with anything they can find to protect themselves.
01:57:40Mosquitoes are attracted to the carbon dioxide that people breathe out, and they know that
01:57:44there's a source coming from the grocery store.
01:57:47Once everyone is ready, they get some makeshift torches and light them up.
01:57:51They add some barbecue fuel to keep the fire going.
01:57:54You're part of the party that is planning to escape.
01:57:57The doors open, and everyone makes a break for it behind the dumpster.
01:58:01Many mosquitoes try to attack you, but the smoke from the fire repels them.
01:58:06Every second, more mosquitoes are filling the sky and the environment.
01:58:10Many people end up running back into the store, since they couldn't make it past the dumpster
01:58:14to the other building.
01:58:16Eventually, the rest of the people, including yourself, run toward the building.
01:58:20But it's locked, and no one can break down the door.
01:58:24Plan B is to break the glass from a window and crawl inside.
01:58:27You grab a rock and smash the closest window.
01:58:31The only problem is that the mosquitoes can follow you inside.
01:58:35So without any options left, you pull through and run to the basement of the building to
01:58:39find the entrance to the sewer.
01:58:41Success!
01:58:42You've found it, and everyone descends to the bottom.
01:58:45No mosquitoes in sight, just rats.
01:58:48You're walking knee-high in sewer water, with it flowing past you, but it's only a few minutes
01:58:53until you reach the river.
01:58:56Another problem is that the sewer isn't going to the lake, but somewhere deep into the sewer
01:59:00channels.
01:59:01You follow it until you see what looks like an outlet.
01:59:04You make it out, and are near a waterhole where all the discarded sewage leads next
01:59:09to the swamp.
01:59:10The only problem is that you're not next to the highway anymore, and time is running out.
01:59:16More mosquitoes are swarming the air, but they don't bother buzzing next to you.
01:59:20You notice some cat-sized creatures floating on the water.
01:59:24These are baby mosquitoes, or the larvae, and they're coming your way!
01:59:29You and everyone else swim for your lives to the shore.
01:59:32The giant alpha mosquito soars into the air and swoops down to try and grab someone, but
01:59:38it misses.
01:59:40Everyone makes it to the thick, swampy area where no giant mosquitoes can enter.
01:59:44Everyone covers themselves with branches to protect themselves.
01:59:47Fifteen minutes until the armored bus arrives.
01:59:50Since the mosquitoes can't enter, this will be the best place to hide until then.
01:59:54Darkness falls, and still, no bus!
01:59:58It's been three hours, and nothing!
02:00:00The mosquitoes are still buzzing around, and everyone is getting uncomfortable under the
02:00:04thick bushes.
02:00:05After a while, everyone hears a roaring engine and sees lights flashing on the highway!
02:00:11Everyone gets up and runs to the bus, but you stop them to not draw the mosquitoes'
02:00:16attention.
02:00:17You volunteer to sneak out and stop the bus, and then everyone else can follow without
02:00:21drawing too much attention.
02:00:23You move a couple of branches, step over some tree bark, and crawl to the highway.
02:00:28You try to hold your breath so that you won't make any heavy breathing sounds.
02:00:32You reach the side of the road and wave your arms to stop the bus.
02:00:36It pulls over, and the door opens.
02:00:38You signal the rest of the people to follow, and they follow your lead.
02:00:42Everyone is inside and safe.
02:00:45Some mosquitoes notice and start pecking on the bus, but the armor is sturdy.
02:00:49The bus drives off, looking for other people along the road, and suddenly, a Goliath lands
02:00:55in front of you!
02:00:56The bus stops and sees a mosquito the size of a Boeing 747!
02:01:01It looks straight at you.
02:01:03It gets ready to attack, but the bus speeds under its legs and drives off.
02:01:08The mosquito takes off and tries to catch the bus, but you enter a tunnel to the other
02:01:12side of the mountain.
02:01:14After a few minutes, you reach an open area with no trees or buildings.
02:01:18The bus is speeding while dodging obstacles along the way.
02:01:22Finally, you notice you are near the grocery store where you were held up.
02:01:26The bus opens the door for everyone inside to be taken to a safe zone.
02:01:30You hear from the aid workers that the whole world is being overrun by these giant creatures.
02:01:36As you drive along, you see a hybrid mosquito that has two heads and a scorpion's tail!
02:01:43It's as tall as a Statue of Liberty, and it's ready to attack!
02:01:46Whatever is causing these mosquitoes to grow abnormally is also making them into hybrids
02:01:51and mutants!
02:01:52And you thought it was going to be a good Monday!
02:01:56That's it for today!
02:01:57But – hey!
02:01:58If you pacified your curiosity, then give the video a like and share it with your friends!
02:02:02Or if you want more, just click on these videos and stay on the Bright Side!

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