In this program, which is more like a nature one than the usual "Modern Marvels," we see how some amazing homes built by beavers, bees, birds, termites, ants and spiders. How these creatures know how to do everything they do by instinct baffles the writers of the show. I guess they don't believe in the powers of the One who created all of them. It's the only explanation, but, whatever, it's all fascinating.
For instance, seeing how much goes into a beaver creating his "lodge" or a big "dam" is incredible in itself. I never realized how huge these things were. In fact, it's mentioned here that "they are the largest structures created by any animal." In Montana, someone found a beaver-made dam that stretched 2,100 feet!
The key to the bees' (and wasps') hives are the hexagonal shape which, apparently, is ideal ("most efficient," it's said here) for structures. We even use it in space ships. Bees, with the was in their bodies, form millions and millions of these little hexagons in their hives. Wasps do similar but don't have wax. They have to use a mixture of saliva and plant fibers they gather.
We've all seen bird's nest, and they show some unusual ones in this program. I found it interesting to hear that birds aren't too good at this on their first attempt, but by the second and third years, their homes are much better.
Ants, of course, build entire cities and do incredible work with super strength but termites are really interesting: at least the ones in African grasslands and the Australian outback. These structures go up in the air, sometimes 10 to 20 feet. They may take 10 years to build. That was the most amazing sight I saw on this program, which finished with the incredible work spiders do in spinning their silk webs. What I didn't know was that many times the spider will destroy what he/ she worked on all day, eat the web, recycle it in their bodies and weave another one the next day!
For instance, seeing how much goes into a beaver creating his "lodge" or a big "dam" is incredible in itself. I never realized how huge these things were. In fact, it's mentioned here that "they are the largest structures created by any animal." In Montana, someone found a beaver-made dam that stretched 2,100 feet!
The key to the bees' (and wasps') hives are the hexagonal shape which, apparently, is ideal ("most efficient," it's said here) for structures. We even use it in space ships. Bees, with the was in their bodies, form millions and millions of these little hexagons in their hives. Wasps do similar but don't have wax. They have to use a mixture of saliva and plant fibers they gather.
We've all seen bird's nest, and they show some unusual ones in this program. I found it interesting to hear that birds aren't too good at this on their first attempt, but by the second and third years, their homes are much better.
Ants, of course, build entire cities and do incredible work with super strength but termites are really interesting: at least the ones in African grasslands and the Australian outback. These structures go up in the air, sometimes 10 to 20 feet. They may take 10 years to build. That was the most amazing sight I saw on this program, which finished with the incredible work spiders do in spinning their silk webs. What I didn't know was that many times the spider will destroy what he/ she worked on all day, eat the web, recycle it in their bodies and weave another one the next day!
