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Delve into its peculiar characteristics and delve deep into the intriguing world of this enigmatic creature. Join us on this enthralling journey through the multi-faceted world of insects.
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00:00There are insects in nature that love to make a lot of noise.
00:04Imagine you're at a rock concert where a singer loudly yells into a microphone and the guitarists
00:09give out deafening chords.
00:10And all this is transmitted through giant speakers.
00:13It feels like the music passes through your body.
00:17You will experience a similar sensation if you find yourself near a swarm of cicadas.
00:22These creatures create a clicking, ringing sound with the help of vibrating membranes
00:26on their stomachs.
00:30The awakening of cicadas is always a surprise for people.
00:33Any day you can wake up to a loud noise outside.
00:36Cicadas gather in huge swarms, fly out into the streets, and cover cars, trees, and buildings.
00:43They chatter for weeks, and then silence comes.
00:46Cicadas disappear as suddenly as they appear.
00:51The cicadas' sounds can be pleasant or harmful to your ears depending on the species.
00:56It can be something melodic and captivating.
00:59When millions of cicadas click in the forest, it resembles the sound of a jet plane or a
01:03circular saw working.
01:05Some people can't stand it and run away from the singing swarm.
01:09But many also say that cicadas make a pleasant sound that envelops you from all sides, which
01:14is a pretty unusual feeling.
01:21They make this noise to attract breeding partners, or to warn their families of danger.
01:27Perhaps they are just having fun.
01:28And the reason for such joy is their life cycle.
01:32Cicadas spend several years underground, and then come out to make noise for the last several
01:36weeks of their lives.
01:37And what they do under the surface is one of the most exciting mysteries for scientists.
01:48So cicadas are physically strong insects with big eyes and unique wings.
01:53We'll talk about their uniqueness later, but now let's figure out why these insects are
01:57so awesome.
01:58There are about 3,000 species of cicadas, but they are all divided into two groups, annual
02:04and periodic ones.
02:07Annual is a common type, you can meet them all over the world.
02:10They live from 2 to 5 years or longer and have a normal insect lifestyle.
02:14They fly, drink the sap of trees, and click.
02:19But periodic cicadas live only in North America, in the central and eastern regions of the USA.
02:26They can disappear as a species off the face of the earth, and then, a few years later, appear
02:31in a forest and make such noise that you can hear it from afar.
02:34Imagine walking in the woods, picking mushrooms and berries, and then, the soil begins to move,
02:40and hundreds of thousands of cicadas are flying out.
02:43They are everywhere, and they are very loud.
02:46But don't worry, they're not aggressive and won't bite you.
02:51The life cycle of these insects is divided into three parts, eggs, nymphs, and adults.
02:57At first, females lay several hundred eggs in different places.
03:01They leave their offspring near the ground on the branches of trees and brush.
03:05Then, after six to ten weeks, little nymphs hatch out of them, fall to the floor, and burrow
03:11into the soil.
03:12There, they munch on fluids from the roots of plants and grow.
03:20They spend thirteen or seventeen years in these underground tunnels, then molt their shells
03:25and come out.
03:26And they all do it at the same time.
03:28It's as if someone gives them one order, and they drop everything to come to the surface
03:32simultaneously.
03:33And after they rise, they start to click.
03:40Imagine spending more than ten years in a cramped, dark space, and then going out into a bright,
03:46open world where you will live for several weeks.
03:49No wonder cicadas are chirping so loudly.
03:52Or they may have a great time underground, and then decide to spend their retirement outdoors.
04:01Most likely, their appearance coincides with convenient natural conditions.
04:06They wait for the soil temperature to become comfortable for reproduction and come out.
04:10However, while the soil heats up and gets colder annually, cicadas come out once every
04:15thirteen or seventeen years.
04:23Scientists can't give an exact explanation for this, but it may be related to other animals.
04:28Cicadas are pretty defenseless and nutritious creatures.
04:31A swarm of millions of cicadas is a feast for many forest inhabitants.
04:35Owls and foxes like to eat them.
04:38Suppose the forest ecosystem gets used to the annual singing of cicadas.
04:42In that case, their enemies will quickly destroy the entire population of these insects.
04:48Therefore, cicadas come out when no one expects them.
04:51Perhaps they choose the moment when the population growth of owls and foxes is at the lowest level.
04:57To avoid meeting them, cicadas wait for several years.
05:10This version looks logical, but something doesn't work in it.
05:14If cicadas fight for survival in such a way, then why don't all species do it?
05:20Annual cicadas regularly appear in the forest and are an integral part of the ecosystem.
05:25They continue to exist, despite the presence of many enemies.
05:30Why do periodic ones decide to hide?
05:32This is still unknown.
05:38A massive swarm of cicadas resembles locusts.
05:41So many consider them pests.
05:43But unlike these crop eaters, cicadas only feed on the sap of trees.
05:47They won't eat your corn, destroy your garden, and bite the leaves.
05:51Cicadas drink juice from branches and roots, and they do it quite rarely.
05:59Yes, a million cicadas can damage trees because of their relative weight, but the damage they
06:04cause to people is not comparable to what locusts do.
06:07Besides, cicadas will rarely bother you.
06:10You can finish university and change several jobs, and the cicadas would come out only once
06:16during this time, and they also look pretty cute for insects.
06:19Their wings have beautiful patterns, and their eyes are so huge.
06:24However, they can still terrify you, especially if you meet a swarm of cicadas on your way.
06:37Life underground seems safe, but even there, the cicadas have their antagonists, and the
06:42main one is a special kind of parasitic fungi that can penetrate the body of a cicada and
06:47slowly devour it.
06:54The fungus takes control of the body and turns the host into a living zombie.
06:59These parasites have also learned to change their life cycle following the life cycle of
07:03cicadas.
07:04That is, the fungus remains in the body of an insect for a long time and does nothing.
07:09And then, when the cicada comes to the surface, the parasite wakes up and begins to spoil its
07:15life.
07:16It feeds on the host's body and forces it to spread the fungus spores throughout the
07:20swarm to infect future generations.
07:30Another type of fungus doesn't wait for the cicadas to crawl to the surface.
07:33These parasites can cause infected insects to get out of the ground ahead of time, crawl
07:38up tree branches, and scatter spores.
07:41Sometimes fungi grow out of cicadas while they are still underground.
07:45It seems that cicadas won't survive with such dangerous enemies, but nature has found
07:49a balance.
07:55Some types of fungi don't destroy their carriers.
07:58They live in symbiosis with cicadas.
08:00The parasite gets a home, and the cicada probably gets nutrients from the fungus.
08:05For scientists, this is a unique case when fungi abandon their parasitic lifestyle.
08:14With each emergence to the surface, the cicadas become bigger in size.
08:18This happens because large cities emit a lot of heat and nutrients into the air, warming the
08:23area by several degrees.
08:25This contributes to an increase in cicadas' size.
08:29But the growth only applies to those insects that live near cities.
08:33Cicadas hiding in rural areas with colder temperatures retain the same size.
08:39The uniqueness of cicadas is not only in their life development, but also in their anatomy.
08:44When insects become adults, their wings get covered with tiny nano-pillars that can repel
08:49water, destroy bacteria, and self-clean.
08:56Doctors, chemists, and engineers want to use the properties of cicada wings to develop new
09:01technologies in different fields.
09:03A coating with the cicadas' nano-pillars can help people create new medicines.
09:07Engineers want to use self-cleaning surfaces of the wings without glare, as coatings for
09:12solar panels and other high-tech developments.
09:13So, yeah, cicadas actually help us a lot.
09:21So, you're at home, enjoying your evening tea under a warm blanket, when all of a sudden
09:27you see a huge, no, enormous mosquito.
09:30Its long and gangly legs have a span of your palm, and it clumsily bumps into all the obstacles
09:36it meets.
09:37Despite its awkward appearance, it's still terrifying.
09:41What if it carries malaria?
09:42What if it eats you alive in your sleep?
09:45Slowly, not to draw the monster's attention to yourself, you get out from your soft chair,
09:51and run for it into the bathroom, lock yourself in there, and open the browser on your phone.
09:56After a few seconds, you draw a ragged breath of relief.
10:01Turns out, it's just a crane fly, not a mosquito at all.
10:05It might look like a ferocious beast, but it's actually peaceful and even defenseless.
10:09Many crane flies don't even have mouths, so they don't eat at all.
10:14And those that have a mouthpiece will only munch on sweet flower nectar.
10:19Crane flies are really clumsy in the air.
10:22Their rather short wings are no match for their huge bodies and long legs.
10:26So, they're slow, and it's easy to catch them.
10:29Birds and frogs, as well as bats and cats, love them as a treat.
10:33The only way they can avoid being eaten is by losing a limb.
10:37Their legs easily break off, even when nothing touches them.
10:42And if you're still unconvinced not to scram and set your house on fire when you see one, consider this.
10:48Crane flies can tell you if the water pool you're about to swim in is of good quality.
10:53If you see these bugs on or above the water, you're good to go.
10:57Even more, fishers often make their bait look like the crane fly larvae.
11:02Ah, this makes it more appetizing for the fish.
11:06But while googling, you get engrossed with reading up on some other weird and crazy bugs.
11:12For example, here's the human-faced stink bug.
11:15Nah, they don't really stink, at least for humans.
11:18They give off pheromones that attract other stink bugs, letting them know there's food nearby.
11:23The most peculiar feature of it is in the name.
11:27A man-faced stink bug has a face on its back, with three black dots drawn in red.
11:34The vibrant color of its back warns predators that the bug isn't tasty or even poisonous,
11:40while the black eyes draw attention from them to the vulnerable head.
11:45Saddleback caterpillar's name is also quite telling.
11:48It looks like some creature from another planet with a bright green saddle over its back.
11:53And the saddle is, sadly, the only safe part of the thing to touch.
11:57The spines you see all over the rest of its body are sharp and highly poisonous.
12:03If you want to give it a friendly tap on the back, make sure you don't touch anything else.
12:08Well, well, we have a Titan beetle next.
12:12Meet the largest beetle in the whole world.
12:14It can grow as long as your entire palm, complete with fingers.
12:17Seeing one in the wild can be a shocking experience, especially if it flies right in your face.
12:24But don't fret.
12:25Thankfully, this giant is placid and won't bite you if you don't mean it harm.
12:31Still, if you make it angry, never let its mandibles touch you.
12:35The bug will hiss and bite, and what such snap can crack a pencil in half?
12:40What's interesting, an adult Titan beetle doesn't feed at all.
12:44It doesn't need food to survive.
12:46As a larva, it gets enough energy to keep it well-nourished even when grown up.
12:51Ooh, I love that ability.
12:53An even more menacing-looking bug is a giant Weta.
12:57Living in New Zealand, these cricket-like creatures look like someone forgot to lock the portal to the infernal.
13:03A massive, beefy body with six thorny legs, long alien-looking antennae, and big mandibles that just might cut steel.
13:13Well, in fact, these giant insects are quite peaceful and won't bite unless provoked.
13:19And even if they do, it's not as bad as you might think.
13:22There are videos with Wetas biting hands of people holding them and doing no harm at all.
13:28So, don't let it scare you, even though such an insect might weigh more than a full-fledged sparrow.
13:34Atlas moths look like they have three heads, two of which are serpents.
13:39These pretty nocturnal flyers have strange shapes on the tips of their wings that look like snakeheads.
13:45This seems to be their mode of defense from predators.
13:48And that's also why they're sometimes called cobra moths.
13:52In Southeast Asia and India, where they normally dwell, atlas moths are often found on butterfly farms producing silk.
14:00And that's some sight.
14:02The wingspan of one such moth can reach 10 inches.
14:05That's larger than your hand.
14:08Peacock spiders are perhaps the cutest arachnids in the world.
14:12Second maybe only to their jumping cousins.
14:14They're so tiny, you probably wouldn't even notice one scrambling through your kitchen.
14:19But if you get a chance to take a closer look, do it.
14:23Peacock spiders are beautiful.
14:25They have large beady eyes, a shiny blue and red coat, and cute fuzz on their body and legs.
14:31And their mating dance is something else entirely.
14:34Too bad they only live in Australia.
14:37Another moth on the list, the hummingbird moth.
14:42Remember the atlas one, how huge it was?
14:44Well, this one's as big as a hummingbird, and holds much more resemblance to its namesake than that.
14:50The speed at which it flutters its wings, the long tongue to drink flower nectar, and even the sound it
14:56makes when flying.
14:57All of it makes you wonder if it's really a moth, after all.
15:01Of course, the fuzzy critter is absolutely safe, and you should consider yourself lucky if you ever see one.
15:08Long-horned orb weaver spider is one of the most unusual arachnids in the world.
15:14It's just your regular spider in all respects, but for some reason, it boasts two long curved horns on its
15:21back.
15:21The back itself is bright orange to ward off predators.
15:25Red means danger.
15:26But scientists are still unsure why this spider needs those prongs.
15:31So there's a web of mystery for you.
15:35The soft rustling of leaves underneath, a pile of them slightly moving, and a big, mighty horn shows up.
15:42It's the Hercules beetle, one of the largest beetles on the planet.
15:46Almost half of its size comes from that horn on its head.
15:50Thanks to this wonderful appendage, you know exactly it's a male.
15:54Females don't have it at all.
15:57Yet the name comes not only from the horn, but from the amazing ability of this giant to haul extremely
16:03heavy loads.
16:04Its strength is second only to dung beetles.
16:07A Hercules can carry as much as 850 times its own weight.
16:12If you ever see a bug with 5 heads wearing a pointy cap, no, you're not on another planet.
16:19It's a Brazilian treehopper.
16:21Straight from a sci-fi movie and on your screens here, this insect is a real mystery.
16:27It's small and secretive, and much is still unknown about it.
16:31No one knows why exactly the treehoppers have these fuzzy balls on their heads.
16:36But they've only got one head, after all.
16:39That much is certain.
16:41Going for a swim in a freshwater pond somewhere in the African tropics.
16:46Watch your toes.
16:47You can get a giant water bug hunting them.
16:50It's a predatory bug and the largest of its kind.
16:53With those huge pincers, it's no wonder.
16:56It's commonly known as an alligator flea and a toe biter.
17:00The bite of this water-dwelling monster is really quite powerful.
17:04It grabs its prey with the front legs and then slowly munches on it.
17:09And when I say it's a predator, I mean it.
17:12Giant water bug's favorite food is fish and amphibians.
17:17Despite their name, scorpion flies aren't related to scorpions.
17:21They get this moniker thanks to their tails, which look a lot like the notorious arachnids.
17:27Seeing a flying scorpion is a daunting sight at best.
17:30But fear not, these critters are small and gentle, and they can't even bite you.
17:35Only the males have such a tail, and they use it to attract females.
17:40Hey!
17:42What do you imagine when you hear the words, walking stick?
17:45Certainly not a bug, but that's exactly what it is.
17:49Look at this twig and try to guess.
17:51Is there something alive on it or not?
17:53Yes and no, this twig is not a twig at all.
17:57It is a walking stick.
18:00These insects have developed a fascinating camouflage.
18:04They're long and unassuming, able to stay still for hours on end, which makes them look like dry twigs.
18:11But as soon as you touch one, it scrambles away on its gangly legs.
18:16Thanks to their appearance, predatory birds often miss walking sticks in the dense foliage.
18:22And their Australian kin give off a pleasant scent, something like peanut butter.
18:27Ooh, yum!
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