0:00:02 > 0:00:05- Welcome to my Nightmares of Nature. - WOLF HOWLS
0:00:07 > 0:00:10- I'm Naomi Wilkinson. - SHE SCREAMS
0:00:10 > 0:00:14'And I'm coming face-to-face with the nightmares of the animal world.
0:00:17 > 0:00:21'The ones that make your spine tingle,
0:00:21 > 0:00:25- 'your heart beat faster...' - SHE SCREAMS
0:00:25 > 0:00:27'..and your blood run cold.'
0:00:28 > 0:00:32Are they truly terrifying...
0:00:32 > 0:00:34or is there a twist in the tale?
0:00:35 > 0:00:41'Come with me as I shine a light on wildlife's deepest, darkest secrets,
0:00:41 > 0:00:45'and see if you can guess which will be my worst nightmare.'
0:00:47 > 0:00:50This time I'm searching for my Nightmares of Nature
0:00:50 > 0:00:52a little closer to home.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55Here in the UK we have a whole host of wonderful wildlife
0:00:55 > 0:00:59right on our doorstep, most of which you may think you know,
0:00:59 > 0:01:02but I'm going to reveal some of the hidden nightmare credentials
0:01:02 > 0:01:04of our much-loved inhabitants.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07Some may shock you, some may surprise you
0:01:07 > 0:01:12and some may really make your skin crawl.
0:01:13 > 0:01:18'Right here in the UK, we have our fair share of nightmare candidates,
0:01:18 > 0:01:21'and I'm going to be tracking some of them down.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24'I'll be delving deep underground to try and catch a glimpse
0:01:24 > 0:01:26'of an elusive subterranean mammal.'
0:01:26 > 0:01:28There, there, there!
0:01:29 > 0:01:33'Finding out some pretty revolting revelations about a critter
0:01:33 > 0:01:35'that might surprise you.
0:01:36 > 0:01:39'And relying on some thermal technology
0:01:39 > 0:01:42'to track down a hidden countryside resident.
0:01:44 > 0:01:48'But, first, I'm on the hunt for an invasive amphibian.'
0:01:51 > 0:01:55Here in the UK, our ponds are packed with watery wildlife,
0:01:55 > 0:01:57from tiny tadpoles to nimble newts.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01But there is one giant invader that overshadows them all.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04In fact, this voracious visitor is threatening our native species
0:02:04 > 0:02:06from thriving.
0:02:06 > 0:02:08Now that certainly sounds like a nightmare to me.
0:02:09 > 0:02:12'As its name suggests,
0:02:12 > 0:02:16'the North American bullfrog would be far more at home in America,
0:02:16 > 0:02:19'but populations started to pop up in the UK
0:02:19 > 0:02:22'when they arrived in the country hidden amongst shipments of plants
0:02:22 > 0:02:24'imported for garden ponds.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29'The question is, how can an innocent amphibian
0:02:29 > 0:02:31'be causing such a nightmare?
0:02:34 > 0:02:37'I'm teaming up with Jonathan Cranfield,
0:02:37 > 0:02:41'who has been keeping a beady eye on the bullfrog boom.'
0:02:41 > 0:02:44Right, Jon, what are we dealing with here, then?
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Well, to put things in perspective, I've brought along an example
0:02:47 > 0:02:51- of a common frog. - Aaah, you're cute. Hello.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58OK, so he's quite little, he's quite cute.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01And are there any similarities between our common frog
0:03:01 > 0:03:03and the North American bullfrog?
0:03:03 > 0:03:05Well, basically, they are both frogs
0:03:05 > 0:03:08and this little guy is quite slimy and can jump,
0:03:08 > 0:03:10just like a North American bullfrog would.
0:03:10 > 0:03:13- Webbed feet.- Very much webbed feet.
0:03:13 > 0:03:15- FROG CROAKS - Oh, he's croaking.
0:03:15 > 0:03:17But also they hunt in a similar way.
0:03:17 > 0:03:21They sit and wait and they leap out at flies and other insects,
0:03:21 > 0:03:24but obviously they are much, much smaller scale.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27Yeah, the similarities end about there.
0:03:27 > 0:03:32- So is this our biggest frog?- This is our, you know, largest native frog.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36They can get a bit bigger than this but the one we're looking for
0:03:36 > 0:03:39is probably four to five times bigger than that.
0:03:39 > 0:03:41Four to five times bigger than that?!
0:03:41 > 0:03:44OK, let's put him back.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47What's the best way of finding one of these mega frogs?
0:03:47 > 0:03:51- Well, we need to get into that pond over there...- OK.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54..and you're going to need a pair of these.
0:03:54 > 0:03:57Ah, waders - fabulous!
0:04:04 > 0:04:07So how easy are these bullfrogs going to be to find?
0:04:07 > 0:04:11Well, sometimes you actually manage to hear them before you see them.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15- Is it quite a loud call? - It's a very deep, resonating call
0:04:15 > 0:04:19- which is very much like a cow or a bull.- Hence the name!
0:04:19 > 0:04:22- And I've got an example here. - You do? Let's have a listen.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25LOUD CROAKING
0:04:26 > 0:04:30Yeah, it does sound like a cow, crossed with a sheep baa-ing.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33That's cool. OK, we might hear that. That might give it away.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36Right, what's my method, then?
0:04:36 > 0:04:39I'm basically disturbing the silt.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42So you just run it along the bottom...
0:04:43 > 0:04:46- Yep.- ..scoop it out and see what you've caught in your net.
0:04:46 > 0:04:48That's right.
0:04:49 > 0:04:53'And if these bullfrogs are making this pond their home,
0:04:53 > 0:04:55'it's crucial we find them.
0:04:55 > 0:04:59'These are one of the worst alien animal invaders in the world.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02'Growing up to 20cm in length,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05'they dwarf any of our own pond residents
0:05:05 > 0:05:10'and eat pretty much anything that fits in their mammoth mouths.
0:05:10 > 0:05:14'As if all that wasn't bad enough, these astronomical amphibians
0:05:14 > 0:05:18'have the ability to take over their territory.'
0:05:19 > 0:05:21How many babies can they have?
0:05:21 > 0:05:25Our native frog, they produce about 3,000 eggs.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29A female bullfrog, she lays 20,000 eggs.
0:05:29 > 0:05:31Ugh! 20,000?!
0:05:31 > 0:05:35- 20,000. So if they all grew up... - Into adult bullfrogs...
0:05:35 > 0:05:38- All it takes is two frogs. - 20,000 tadpoles.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40Big problems on our hands.
0:05:40 > 0:05:43In light of that, we need to find a bullfrog, because I have no idea
0:05:43 > 0:05:46what one looks like and we need to be on our guard
0:05:46 > 0:05:48and keep an eye out for this frog.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55I've got a good feeling about this. Ready?
0:05:57 > 0:05:59Told you.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16- Any joy, Jon?- Not yet.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19- No. Shall we try another pond? - We certainly can.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23Right, what's the best way to get into this one, do you think?
0:06:23 > 0:06:26Use your net, carefully ease yourself in.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28OK. Ooh!
0:06:31 > 0:06:34I'm getting deeper and deeper.
0:06:35 > 0:06:37And I'm still going down.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40You got it, you got it!
0:06:40 > 0:06:42Oh, well done.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45My goodness, that's huge. That is huge.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48I can see why that is going to cause a problem
0:06:48 > 0:06:50for our own smaller wildlife.
0:06:50 > 0:06:54So this is a bullfrog. And you think this is a fully grown...
0:06:54 > 0:06:56A fully grown female bullfrog, yeah.
0:06:56 > 0:06:59It has got really beautiful eyes, hasn't it?
0:06:59 > 0:07:03It is, it's a fantastic animal. It's really beautiful.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05It's just that it's in the wrong place.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08If it was in the right place, then it's not a problem.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10Yeah, it's a shame, isn't it?
0:07:10 > 0:07:12Poor little thing. Well, not little.
0:07:12 > 0:07:14Poor humungous thing!
0:07:16 > 0:07:20'There's no disputing, this is an incredible animal,
0:07:20 > 0:07:24'but unfortunately, in certain areas, these frogs are breeding
0:07:24 > 0:07:28'and there could be populations we don't yet know about.'
0:07:29 > 0:07:32Take a good look at that, everyone. This is a bullfrog.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34If we see one of these, what should we do?
0:07:34 > 0:07:38If you think you've seen one of these, it's important to report it,
0:07:38 > 0:07:42because the one problem that we have, we don't know where they are.
0:07:42 > 0:07:47So if you see one, if you can get a photograph of it or a recording,
0:07:47 > 0:07:51you can send that in by e-mail to your local wildlife trust
0:07:51 > 0:07:54or a wildlife society that's recording wildlife in your area.
0:07:54 > 0:07:57That way we can identify where individuals are
0:07:57 > 0:08:00and possibly other populations in the UK.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03'Now we've caught this giant girl,
0:08:03 > 0:08:06'it would be illegal for us to return her to the water,
0:08:06 > 0:08:10'as these bullfrogs are such an invasive animal.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14'Thankfully, though, she's off to a local zoo to educate others
0:08:14 > 0:08:16'about non-native species.'
0:08:17 > 0:08:20The mention of frogs might not initially fill us with fear,
0:08:20 > 0:08:25but this giant alien invader is wreaking havoc in our wetlands.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28By the time they're adults, they're cannibalistic carnivores
0:08:28 > 0:08:31and they are eating their way through our watery wildlife,
0:08:31 > 0:08:33so this colossal croaker
0:08:33 > 0:08:36could well leap straight up onto my nightmare podium.
0:08:39 > 0:08:41There is one animal that lives here in the UK
0:08:41 > 0:08:44which is extremely elusive.
0:08:44 > 0:08:48So elusive, in fact, that few people have actually seen it in the flesh.
0:08:48 > 0:08:52It's a solitary animal that spends almost its entire life underground
0:08:52 > 0:08:54in total darkness,
0:08:54 > 0:08:57so, as nightmares go, this one is off to a pretty good start!
0:08:58 > 0:09:01'Moles are the masters of moving mountains
0:09:01 > 0:09:04'and the ultimate digging machines.
0:09:04 > 0:09:06'Shifting serious sums of soil,
0:09:06 > 0:09:10'they excavate tunnels hundreds of metres long.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14'And these brilliantly busy bulldozers
0:09:14 > 0:09:17'seem to do it with no effort at all.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21'But how is this manic mammal deserving of a place
0:09:21 > 0:09:23'in my nightmares?
0:09:26 > 0:09:30'I've come to meet mammal expert Nick...
0:09:32 > 0:09:36'..where these elusive mammals are thought to be making their home.'
0:09:36 > 0:09:40Nick, we know that moles spend an awful lot of their time underground
0:09:40 > 0:09:43but here we've got some pretty clear signs that moles are in the area.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46Yeah, well, as moles are tunnelling under the ground,
0:09:46 > 0:09:50they have to move a lot of soil and a lot of that gets pushed
0:09:50 > 0:09:53to the surface and that's where we get mole hills.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56So is there a particular habitat or type of soil that they prefer?
0:09:56 > 0:10:00Yeah, they like quite deep soil, so the kinds of soil you find in
0:10:00 > 0:10:03woodlands, but also fields and farmlands and places like that.
0:10:03 > 0:10:08- This is perfect.- And how many moles would have made all of these hills?
0:10:08 > 0:10:10Well, it could have been quite a few,
0:10:10 > 0:10:13or maybe all of these could have been made by one solitary mole.
0:10:13 > 0:10:17- Really?- All of them, yeah. - Talk about busy!
0:10:17 > 0:10:20So I'm guessing it's a very strong animal to be able to move
0:10:20 > 0:10:22this amount of earth from deep underground.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25- How big are moles exactly? - It's a lot of soil to move
0:10:25 > 0:10:27and yet they're really small.
0:10:27 > 0:10:30We've got a skeleton, if you'd like to see it.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33- So...- That's a mole? That big!
0:10:33 > 0:10:35They're not very big at all.
0:10:35 > 0:10:38But look at the size of that compared to a mole hill.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40I mean, how does it do that?
0:10:40 > 0:10:43They can move about their own body weight in soil
0:10:43 > 0:10:45pretty much every minute.
0:10:45 > 0:10:49They're really, really speedy, fast, strong critters.
0:10:49 > 0:10:51How do they do that, then?
0:10:51 > 0:10:55What's interesting about them is how big certain parts of the bodies are.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58So you see this really long bone here, on its back,
0:10:58 > 0:11:01that's their shoulder blade, and a huge amount of muscle is attached
0:11:01 > 0:11:04to that, so they're really, really strong.
0:11:04 > 0:11:07But there's something really important about their hands.
0:11:07 > 0:11:10They have a massive surface area so they can use them like spades
0:11:10 > 0:11:13- to move a lot. - Shovelling the soil.- Exactly.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17So they may be tiny but they are a mighty mammal.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19They are a mighty mammal.
0:11:19 > 0:11:22There's clear evidence that we've got moles right here, but they're
0:11:22 > 0:11:25not going to come out so we're going to bury some tiny cameras
0:11:25 > 0:11:28deep underground and see if we can catch a glimpse
0:11:28 > 0:11:31- of these elusive burrowers.- Lovely.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42OK, all the cameras are in place
0:11:42 > 0:11:46and plugged into this - our mole control centre.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48Our live feed that's coming in right now.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51Great. We'll leave these cameras in place for a few hours
0:11:51 > 0:11:54and come back and see if we have any inquisitive moles.
0:11:58 > 0:12:02'And while we're waiting for our moles to show off to the cameras,
0:12:02 > 0:12:05'I'm heading into the city to find out about one of our creepiest
0:12:05 > 0:12:07'contenders yet.'
0:12:08 > 0:12:11I'm not looking forward to meeting my next Nightmare of Nature.
0:12:11 > 0:12:14It's our smallest contender yet, but that doesn't stop
0:12:14 > 0:12:18this miniature mite from having some serious nightmare potential.
0:12:18 > 0:12:21But before I meet it, I want to see if anyone knows
0:12:21 > 0:12:24what this creepy critter is.
0:12:28 > 0:12:31And see if they have any ideas where it might live?
0:12:33 > 0:12:36If you had to guess what that is, what would you say?
0:12:36 > 0:12:37A flea?
0:12:37 > 0:12:40- Is it a panda?- A panda?
0:12:40 > 0:12:41A bear.
0:12:41 > 0:12:42Spider?
0:12:42 > 0:12:45- Where do you think it lives? - In the forest.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48Underground, I would have thought.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50South Africa.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53- Hong Kong?- Hong Kong?
0:12:53 > 0:12:55How big do you think it might be?
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Tinsy - like, really small.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00- Humungous.- Humungous?
0:13:00 > 0:13:04Even though it looks big in the picture, I think quite small.
0:13:04 > 0:13:07- Would you like this anywhere near you?- No.
0:13:07 > 0:13:08No.
0:13:08 > 0:13:11- Why?- It doesn't look very nice.
0:13:11 > 0:13:13It might gobble you up.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15I would probably kill you.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18- Shall I tell you what it is? - Yeah.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22This is an eyelash mite.
0:13:22 > 0:13:23Eww!
0:13:23 > 0:13:25An eyelash mite?
0:13:27 > 0:13:30Um, I'm not really sure what to think about that.
0:13:30 > 0:13:31That's gross!
0:13:31 > 0:13:35Any guesses what it might be doing on your eyelashes?
0:13:35 > 0:13:38Dancing or something?
0:13:38 > 0:13:41- Dancing on your face?- Yeah. - Having a disco in your eyelashes.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45- What sort of dancing do you think it might do?- The Conga.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54What are they actually there for?
0:13:54 > 0:13:57I have no idea. I'm going to find out.
0:13:58 > 0:14:01'So I'm heading to the University of Cardiff
0:14:01 > 0:14:04'to meet up with Dr Sarah Perkins,
0:14:04 > 0:14:07'an expert in all things microscopic.'
0:14:09 > 0:14:11Sarah, I have had a slightly disturbing morning.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15- Is it true these eyelash mites live on our eyelashes?- Yes, it is true.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19We refer to them as eyelash mites. Is that where they prefer to live?
0:14:19 > 0:14:22The eyelash is a great habitat for these mites
0:14:22 > 0:14:25but actually they are hair follicle mites,
0:14:25 > 0:14:27so they're follicle mites or face mites.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31- We may find them all over our face. - On your head and...?
0:14:31 > 0:14:34Well, they're on our cheeks, on our chin, our nose,
0:14:34 > 0:14:36in our ears and even up our nose.
0:14:36 > 0:14:40- So you could have hundreds of them on you?- Potentially, you could.
0:14:40 > 0:14:43I'm loath to ask, but do you think I've got some on me?
0:14:43 > 0:14:47I think there's a very good chance you're going to have mites on you.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52'So, begrudgingly, it's time to take a look.'
0:14:54 > 0:14:56Let's see what's living on my face.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59You've got to look on there, and will it come up on here?
0:14:59 > 0:15:01It will come up on here after a little while,
0:15:01 > 0:15:04once I've found something, hopefully.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07This is magnified lots and lots of times.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10- What's this?- Mascara.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15Almighty amounts of mascara.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17Oops.
0:15:18 > 0:15:20It's quite hard to see actually
0:15:20 > 0:15:23because there's quite a lot of mascara.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26I've suffocated all my mites with mascara, haven't I?
0:15:26 > 0:15:29You may well have done.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33Looks like I may have got away with it.
0:15:33 > 0:15:36Crew, could you give us a couple of eyelashes, please?
0:15:37 > 0:15:40Now we're not going to know who's got the mites, are we?
0:15:40 > 0:15:43We're not going to know whose is whose.
0:15:44 > 0:15:47Crew's selection of eyelashes.
0:15:47 > 0:15:48Here we go.
0:15:48 > 0:15:52They're going to be absolutely crawling with mites, the crew ones.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55Let's see.
0:16:00 > 0:16:04OK, so I'm going to show you what I'm seeing down the microscope
0:16:04 > 0:16:07- on that screen over there. - Have you found something?
0:16:07 > 0:16:09Maybe.
0:16:10 > 0:16:12Crew, you're covered in mites.
0:16:12 > 0:16:14OK, let's have a look.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17Oooh!
0:16:17 > 0:16:19It's like an alien, isn't it?
0:16:19 > 0:16:22So this is Steve, our cameraman's eyelash.
0:16:22 > 0:16:25How does it feel knowing that's living on your eyelash?
0:16:25 > 0:16:27Not good, not good.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30- It's a weird thing, isn't it? - There they are.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34Oh, hang on, there's something... What's this in the front?
0:16:34 > 0:16:36Look!
0:16:37 > 0:16:40Oh, it makes me itchy.
0:16:42 > 0:16:44It's so active.
0:16:44 > 0:16:46Look!
0:16:46 > 0:16:49Look at its face! You can see its face!
0:16:49 > 0:16:53You can see those two eyes, you can see whatever those bits are.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58Oh, look, look. Something's moving on that.
0:16:58 > 0:17:01It's its mouth.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04- Have they got teeth? - Well, a form of teeth.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07Mouth parts that actually munch at cells.
0:17:07 > 0:17:09What are they feeding on?
0:17:09 > 0:17:13So they're feeding on dead cells and they're feeding on sebum -
0:17:13 > 0:17:16the oil that your hair follicles naturally produce.
0:17:17 > 0:17:20Look, you can see all four legs really clearly there.
0:17:21 > 0:17:24It's a bit gross, isn't it, when you see it like that?
0:17:24 > 0:17:27Are they moving around like this all the time?
0:17:27 > 0:17:30No, they're not, actually, they are photophobic,
0:17:30 > 0:17:32so they don't like the light.
0:17:32 > 0:17:35They're only really moving around when it's dark.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39So at night-time, they'll come out and take a stroll across your face.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42- So they're nocturnal nightmares? - Absolutely.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45And I'm getting a free facial while I'm asleep?
0:17:45 > 0:17:48- You could think of it like that, yes.- Result.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52But they are absolutely tiny. This is blown up many, many times.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55They are absolutely tiny. I mean, they are microscopic.
0:17:55 > 0:17:58So they are less than a millimetre.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00They're not doing us any harm, are they?
0:18:00 > 0:18:02They're not doing us any harm at all, no.
0:18:02 > 0:18:06The reason you didn't know they were there is because they are not really
0:18:06 > 0:18:08doing anything other than eating dead cells
0:18:08 > 0:18:11so offering a cleaning service, really.
0:18:11 > 0:18:13- They're actually doing us good. - Yeah.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15So these mites might be minuscule
0:18:15 > 0:18:18but where they choose to live is truly terrifying.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20They literally are making my skin crawl.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23But surprisingly, rather than being repulsed by them,
0:18:23 > 0:18:26I'm actually quite grateful that nature has come up with
0:18:26 > 0:18:29a free facial that I can't even feel.
0:18:29 > 0:18:30So it's a tough one.
0:18:30 > 0:18:34It's a cleaning critter crammed with creepy credentials.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36Could it be my worst nightmare?
0:18:38 > 0:18:42My next contender doesn't exactly conjure up images of nightmares.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44In fact, anything but.
0:18:44 > 0:18:47It's cute, it's cuddly, it frolics in fields,
0:18:47 > 0:18:49so I'm quite looking forward to this one.
0:18:50 > 0:18:56'Brown hares are usually nocturnal, shy and solitary animals
0:18:56 > 0:19:00'but in March, they spring into action.
0:19:00 > 0:19:03'It's the perfect time to catch a glimpse of them
0:19:03 > 0:19:07'as they show off their incredible agility and Olympic speeds.
0:19:09 > 0:19:12'But what could possibly make them a frontrunner
0:19:12 > 0:19:14'for my worst Nightmare of Nature?'
0:19:19 > 0:19:22'I've teamed up with Russell,
0:19:22 > 0:19:25'who is going to help us find these hyperactive hares
0:19:25 > 0:19:28'with the aid of his camouflaged haremobile.'
0:19:29 > 0:19:32What makes this a particularly good habitat for hares?
0:19:32 > 0:19:35Well, it's a fair chunk of grass, a big grassy area,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38and the grass of about the right length for them, really.
0:19:38 > 0:19:42They don't like it too tall, they just sort of like to hunker down.
0:19:42 > 0:19:46- So they don't live underground? - They don't burrow like rabbits.
0:19:46 > 0:19:50What they would do is make a very shallow indent
0:19:50 > 0:19:52which they can then hunker down into
0:19:52 > 0:19:56which takes them just below the level of the surface.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02'And this disappearing act makes hares extremely difficult to spot,
0:20:02 > 0:20:05'even in the shortest of grass.
0:20:06 > 0:20:10'So finding them today could be a little trickier than I thought.'
0:20:10 > 0:20:13So how are we going to find them?
0:20:13 > 0:20:16Well, today, we're going to have a look and see if we can use
0:20:16 > 0:20:19our thermal camera to see if we can find them.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21- This?- Yeah.
0:20:21 > 0:20:23Let's hope this helps us find one.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30'The thermal camera will show up any heat sources that may be
0:20:30 > 0:20:32'hiding in the grass...
0:20:33 > 0:20:37'and will hopefully help us find our hidden hares.'
0:20:39 > 0:20:42Look, there, there, there. It's really hunkered down.
0:20:44 > 0:20:46Oh, yes.
0:20:46 > 0:20:48It's glowing like a beacon.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52Wow, look at it just hidden in the grass.
0:20:53 > 0:20:56It's some of the best camouflage I've ever seen.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59- It blends in brilliantly. - They are absolutely fantastic.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02Masters of disguise for sure.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04- What's it doing?- It's eating.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07It's eating. That'll be eating its poo, that'll be.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09- They eat their own poo? - They eat their own poo.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13That's pretty disgusting, isn't it? Some serious nightmare potential.
0:21:13 > 0:21:15I think so, yeah.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18'With a diet mainly made up of grass,
0:21:18 > 0:21:20'hares don't get much nutrition from their food
0:21:20 > 0:21:23'the first time around, so they eat their poo
0:21:23 > 0:21:27'to make sure they get the very best from what they've eaten.'
0:21:28 > 0:21:30The lovely habits of the hare.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33That's going to run in a minute.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39Look at it go.
0:21:39 > 0:21:42That really can pick up some speed.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45'So much so, that hares are in fact the fastest land mammal
0:21:45 > 0:21:50'we have here in the UK, clocking speeds of up to 45mph
0:21:50 > 0:21:53'and pulling off some pretty harey moves
0:21:53 > 0:21:56'in order to escape predators.'
0:21:57 > 0:22:00It's very interesting in the morning,
0:22:00 > 0:22:03they're a bit like our athletes, where our athletes have to stretch
0:22:03 > 0:22:05and that sort of thing.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09And you watch the hares when I come on here first thing in the morning,
0:22:09 > 0:22:11- it can be quite chilly... - They're doing a warm up?
0:22:11 > 0:22:14They go through a whole stretch thing.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17It's because they have to be like athletes when they go for a run.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20They've got to warm them up, otherwise they damage their muscles.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23- A bit of hare aerobics in the field. - Absolutely.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26And they really do extend themselves tremendously.
0:22:26 > 0:22:28Hare Zumba class going on.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33'And these workouts come in very handy in March.
0:22:33 > 0:22:36'It's the height of the breeding season
0:22:36 > 0:22:39'and the hares become extremely aggressive.
0:22:40 > 0:22:43'Boxing becomes their favourite sport.
0:22:43 > 0:22:46'These bouts are fought between males and females
0:22:46 > 0:22:48'as she susses out her suitors
0:22:48 > 0:22:52'to see which one is strong enough to win her over.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57'And during these battles, fur can really fly.'
0:23:01 > 0:23:05- Look at these two.- There's another one. They're all popping up.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07Ooh!
0:23:07 > 0:23:09Springing, showing off.
0:23:09 > 0:23:14Yes, it is, that's what it's all about. It's all about how good I am.
0:23:15 > 0:23:19- It looks so harsh, doesn't it? - They are, they are very brutal.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22I'm so shocked that these cute, fluffy animals
0:23:22 > 0:23:24can be that aggressive.
0:23:24 > 0:23:28It is. They get right up onto their hind legs, they will box,
0:23:28 > 0:23:31kick and indeed, when they really get going,
0:23:31 > 0:23:33they will start to bite one another
0:23:33 > 0:23:36and they will bite lumps of fur and they will bite their ears.
0:23:36 > 0:23:39- It's not the best way to get a girlfriend, is it?- No, it isn't.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48Well, I never thought I would consider putting one of our
0:23:48 > 0:23:52cutest countryside residents on my list of nightmare contenders
0:23:52 > 0:23:56but behind this peaceful, calm, serene exterior,
0:23:56 > 0:23:59the bare knuckle boxing bouts of these hyper hares
0:23:59 > 0:24:01could certainly knock the other competitors
0:24:01 > 0:24:04straight off the nightmare top spot. Pow!
0:24:07 > 0:24:10'With three of four nightmare contenders pinned down,
0:24:10 > 0:24:13'it's time for us to return to our mole cameras
0:24:13 > 0:24:16'to see if we had any luck tracking down our elusive mammal.'
0:24:17 > 0:24:19After you.
0:24:20 > 0:24:22Right, exciting times.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25Let's see what we've got.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30Oh, just some earth being shifted.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34- Yeah, there's definite...- There's definitely something behind there
0:24:34 > 0:24:36that doesn't want us to see it today.
0:24:36 > 0:24:38There, there, there, oh!
0:24:38 > 0:24:41I saw its nose completely poke through the soil.
0:24:41 > 0:24:45It's just snuffling and sniffing and moving really fast all the time.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48Constantly using that nose to find its way around
0:24:48 > 0:24:50in complete darkness as well.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53We can see this but that's using infra-red light at the moment
0:24:53 > 0:24:55so it's pitch black down there.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58'And because moles live in total darkness,
0:24:58 > 0:25:00'they don't rely on their eyesight.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03'Instead, they have a bare pink snout that's covered in
0:25:03 > 0:25:06'super sensitive hairs for feeling their way around
0:25:06 > 0:25:07'their underground world.'
0:25:09 > 0:25:13Ha-ha! It's stopped to have a look at the camera.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16You can really see the size of its hands there.
0:25:17 > 0:25:20They just work like a bulldozer, don't they? They're like a machine.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26Gosh, it moves so fast, I feel I need to watch it in slow motion.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29It's looking for something, is it? Always looking for something.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32They're always looking for food. They're active day and night,
0:25:32 > 0:25:36so they sleep for about three hours, they're active for three hours,
0:25:36 > 0:25:39they sleep for three hours and then they're active,
0:25:39 > 0:25:41and as soon as they wake up, they're after food.
0:25:41 > 0:25:45They tend to eat about half their body weight every single day.
0:25:45 > 0:25:49Could you imagine being able to do that - eat half your body weight
0:25:49 > 0:25:52of food? That would be great, but you'd have to move as fast
0:25:52 > 0:25:55- to burn it all off.- I don't think you'd want to eat the same things
0:25:55 > 0:25:58that they eat. They eat insects and grubs
0:25:58 > 0:26:01and also they're big fans of eating earthworms.
0:26:02 > 0:26:05'But their insatiable love of worms means they have a deadly
0:26:05 > 0:26:08'and disgusting secret.
0:26:08 > 0:26:11'If a mole is not ready to devour its dinner immediately,
0:26:11 > 0:26:14'it will bite off the heads of the unfortunate victims,
0:26:14 > 0:26:17'keeping them alive but paralysed.'
0:26:18 > 0:26:20No!
0:26:20 > 0:26:23And they keep them in little larders
0:26:23 > 0:26:25so they can go back when they're hungry
0:26:25 > 0:26:29- and there's a whole load of earthworms.- Paralysed and headless.
0:26:29 > 0:26:31That's right.
0:26:32 > 0:26:33Poor worm.
0:26:34 > 0:26:37Moles may be seriously small and subterranean,
0:26:37 > 0:26:41but they have bulging biceps and can move mountains.
0:26:41 > 0:26:43Well, mole mountains!
0:26:43 > 0:26:46And on top of that, their insatiable appetite never lets up,
0:26:46 > 0:26:49chomping their way through oodles of earthworms,
0:26:49 > 0:26:52even biting their heads off to save them for a rainy day.
0:26:52 > 0:26:55So all of that means this mighty munching mammal
0:26:55 > 0:26:56could be my worst nightmare.
0:26:58 > 0:27:02Well, that's it. Our UK adventure has drawn to a close.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05All that's left for me to do is name my nastiest nightmare.
0:27:05 > 0:27:10Will it be the brutal boxing battles fought by those hyperactive hares?
0:27:10 > 0:27:15The face frolicking of the miniature mite that only comes out at night?
0:27:15 > 0:27:18Look! Look at its face! You can see its face!
0:27:18 > 0:27:23Or the manic subterranean mammal that can paralyse its prey?
0:27:29 > 0:27:32Well, they all have proven nightmare potential
0:27:32 > 0:27:34but the one that's going to leap into first place
0:27:34 > 0:27:38is the astronomical amphibian, that colossal croaker
0:27:38 > 0:27:40that's munching its way through our pretty ponds.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44My worst UK nightmare is the bulging bullfrog.
0:27:54 > 0:27:56Pardon you, Steve!