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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

'Life in the Undergrowth' transmission date = 23/11/05 (1 Viewer)

It's good isn't it? I'm certainly not going to pull the wings off flies and then burn them with a magnifying glass in the future. I thought Dave's looking a bit weathered though.

Gus
 
I was puzzled by the dimensions he gave for the fossilised Dragonfly and irritated when it apparently came to life, perched on the edge of the case and flew around the room watched by David himself. Perhaps I am on my own but I find these animations irritating, particularly when they have the presenter act watching.

On the positive side though a superb, spine-tingling and inspiring programme on the whole. I was rivetted throughout most of it. Well done the BBC another decent programme. Looking forwards to the next one. I think the last one was better than the first and the Giant Mayflies were wonderful.
 
Gus Horsley said:
Hi symphony

This has nothing to do with the thread, but I was brought up in Southowram.

Gus
Click to expand...

Hiya Gus. You made a good move it's freezing up here! If you have any curiosity about the birding around here there is an active Halifax group and they produce an annual Bird Report (2004 edition just came out).

There is a blog online detailing regular sightings in the calderdale region. If you Google calderdalebirds that should do the trick. Sometimes Southowram gets a mention. Oh and try Gray images as many of the pictures are taken by a local birder called Sean Gray, it's worth a look for anyone who appreciates nice bird photography. Don't forget the blog,it's very informative.

Regards, Iain.

Sorry to take over the thread, next comments on 'Life in the undergrowth' start here.....
 
symphony said:
I was puzzled by the dimensions he gave for the fossilised Dragonfly and irritated when it apparently came to life, perched on the edge of the case and flew around the room watched by David himself. Perhaps I am on my own but I find these animations irritating, particularly when they have the presenter act watching.

On the positive side though a superb, spine-tingling and inspiring programme on the whole. I was rivetted throughout most of it. Well done the BBC another decent programme. Looking forwards to the next one. I think the last one was better than the first and the Giant Mayflies were wonderful.
Click to expand...


Yes very irritating, especially as it seemed to walk a little before taking off. I thought dragonflies couldnt walk. :brains:
 
I think I'm right in saying that Sir David is a bit of a fan of bringing dead creatures "to life" in the manner of the fossilised dragonfly, as it gives some impression of how the creature may have looked.

I must say I don't share this opinion, and also find it irritating, but as long as there isn't too much, it certainly won't take any of the gloss off the otherwise brilliance of the series...

... still creeped out by all those legs though!!!!

With regard to the dimensions, I guess some leeway can be allowed as the idea (I assume) was to give an idea of size to the "layman".
 
birdman said:
I think I'm right in saying that Sir David is a bit of a fan of bringing dead creatures "to life" in the manner of the fossilised dragonfly, as it gives some impression of how the creature may have looked.

I must say I don't share this opinion, and also find it irritating, but as long as there isn't too much, it certainly won't take any of the gloss off the otherwise brilliance of the series...
Click to expand...

I share your opinion and was somewhat surprised to see it in wednesday's show as I'd thought I'd read somewhere how SDA wasn't a fan of "walking with XXXX" because he disliked the animations (I know I don't!).
 
I'd have to agree with others - great show, but I could do without the animated bits. You'd think that ther were enough insects for them to show, without the need to CG extras.
 
Life in the Undergrowth is due to be repeated on BBC2 at 10.30 am on 26 - 30 December

Life in the Undergrowth is due to be repeated on BBC2 at 10.30 am on 26 - 30 December inclusive, and the whole series will be repeated with sign language in the BBC1 Sign Zone at some point in 2006.
 
Life in the Undergrowth: Intimate Relations, Wed 14 Dec, 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Life in the Undergrowth

Wed 14 Dec, 9:00 pm - 10:00 pm 60mins

Intimate Relations

Ever since they came onto land, the tiny creatures of the undergrowth have been forming alliances and partnerships with each other and with plants. As David Attenborough says in his opening, many of these intimate relations are of a complexity that blows the mind. And while some of these relationships clearly benefit both partners, others most certainly do not. Take the bot fly - a bruiser in the fly world. It uses smaller house flies as unwitting couriers to carry its eggs to cows where they hatch and bore into the cow's flesh. Or the tiny fairy wasp - 0.25mm long - that flies under water and lays its eggs inside water beetle eggs. In the programme's final sequence we see how the caterpillar of the blue butterfly sneaks its way into an ants' nest by mimicking the smell of the ants' young. There it is protected and fed for almost two years. But a recently discovered wasp has an uncanny knack for pinpointing nests with caterpillars in. It breaks into the ants' nest using a collection of chemical tricks that any spy would love to get his hands on. One of these chemicals forces the ants to attack each other, giving the wasp time to lay its own egg into the caterpillar's body. When the wasp leaves and the nest returns to normal the ants feed the caterpillar as if nothing has happened but when it pupates what comes out? Not a butterfly but a wasp. Mind-blowing indeed! [AD,S]
 
Intimate Relations = best yet!

I thoroughly enjoyed last night's episode with wasps parasitising all sorts of insects and ants protecting an equal variety of other insects.
 
So Lesser Emperor(Anax parthenope) or Vagrant Emperor (Hemianax ephippiger) for the dragonfly in the opening credits?

or am I being hopelessly sad?
 
Last in the series

T BBC1 9.00 - 10.00 pm Life in the Undergrowth: Super societies - David Attenborough uncovers an intriguing network of incredible partnerships as he continues to explore the world of the invertebrates. From the African termite mounts that act as huge ventilation systems, to the bumblebee colony, that reaches its maximum size towards the end of summer, and conflict spreads among the female workers. And two insect societies meeting head on as Matabele ants raid a nearby termite mound.
VP 5711
 
Last episode tonight

Chris Monk said:
T BBC1 9.00 - 10.00 pm Life in the Undergrowth: Super societies - David Attenborough uncovers an intriguing network of incredible partnerships as he continues to explore the world of the invertebrates. From the African termite mounts that act as huge ventilation systems, to the bumblebee colony, that reaches its maximum size towards the end of summer, and conflict spreads among the female workers. And two insect societies meeting head on as Matabele ants raid a nearby termite mound.
VP 5711
Click to expand...

Don't forget to watch the above last episode tonight on BBC1 at 9pm! :t:
 
Really the last?

Is this really the last - so many more insects and other invertebrates .... might we expect 'Life in the Overgrowth' on how insects have adapted to trees?

Chris Monk said:
Don't forget to watch the above last episode tonight on BBC1 at 9pm! :t:
Click to expand...
 
Hi Paul,
You're not alone in being disappointed. Compared to the other "life" series I thought the content in this one was the worst of the lot. The photography was excellent though.

I thought of you and your beetles during the Titan fly on the wall section. I think the words were "what the hell was that" when it dropped in. I thought they were mad not wearing hardhats the way that Titan dropped in :D

Chris
 
I agree with others - great show to watch (some of the footage was truely amazing) - but really could have done with twice as many episodes as so much was left uncovered.
 
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