NATURE

SEX, LIES AND 1 × 50 min. Written by Janet Hess

4K, 5.1 + Stereo Directed by Ann Johnson Prum Executive producers: Ivo Filatsch, Sabine Holzer NATURE

the oldest fossil is dating back roughly 55 million years. Today, around oths, butterflies and caterpil- 20,000 butterfly species inhabit the globe. lars are the protein that fuels Their amazing life stages are the centre of the natural world. Birds and attention now; from egg to caterpillar to spiders, reptiles and small chrysalis to the emergence of the full- Mmammals are always on the hunt for these blown, winged creature. delicious snacks. In response, butterflies and moths have evolved an intriguing Already in their first stage of development, and fascinating array of tricks, guises and butterflies have evolved methods of deflections to confound their would-be self-preservation; freshly hatched caterpil- predators. lars ingest toxic chemicals from their host plants, and alongside with gaudy coloura- These delicate and fragile creatures are tions and hair-like add-ons, this toxic taste our planet’s tiniest superheroes. This film is acting as a means to keep predators dives deep into their world, highlighting away. Eventually, caterpillars develop their amazing survival techniques, and the into a chrysalis; only to undergo the next new science that is unlocking the secrets of amazing metamorphosis, where the entire their world, forever changing our view of caterpillar is dissolved into a gooey liquid these fantastic creatures. that functions as a kind of primordial soup from which the final creature is born. Moths and butterflies are going through Weeks later, a beautiful butterfly or moth one of the most miraculous transforma- emerges, fluttering off into the world. tions in the kingdom, and are able to travel thousands of kilometres in Scientists are starting to get a better grasp astonishing altitude and with unbelievable of how butterflies and moths see, avoid speed. They produce sparkling colours their predators, and why their flight through their wings’ nanostructures, and techniques differ so extraordinarily from communicate with each other using exotic birds. chemicals. A study has even shown that the Painted In , a butterfly called Lady has dethroned the Monarch as Adelotypa annulifera has struck a special the longest migrational traveller in the deal with local ants, which leaves both butterfly realm; it covers 15,000 kilometres parties profiting from the cooperation. on a roundtrip from Africa to the Arctic The ants are ‘baby-sitting’ the butterfly’s Circle, nearly double the— andistance epic journey of the larvae; in return, the larvae are feeding Monarchs’ famed trip the ants with a special secretion. that takes four to five generations of Painted Ladies. While moths have been flying around the planet for about 190 million years,

NATURE

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