0:00:02 > 0:00:03Welcome to my Nightmares of Nature.
0:00:03 > 0:00:05DOG HOWLS
0:00:07 > 0:00:10I'm Naomi Wilkinson
0:00:10 > 0:00:14and I'm coming face-to-face with the nightmares of the animal world.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19The ones that make your spine tingle...
0:00:21 > 0:00:23..your heart beat faster...
0:00:25 > 0:00:27..and your blood run cold.
0:00:28 > 0:00:30Are they truly terrifying?
0:00:32 > 0:00:34Or is there a twist in the tale?
0:00:35 > 0:00:39Come with me as I shine a light on wildlife's deepest, darkest secrets.
0:00:41 > 0:00:45And see if you can guess which will be my worst nightmare.
0:00:47 > 0:00:50Like all nightmare adventures this one will be full of action
0:00:50 > 0:00:53and packed with critters that make your toes curl,
0:00:53 > 0:00:56but I'm not in the wilds this time.
0:00:56 > 0:00:57Quite the opposite.
0:00:57 > 0:01:00I'm in the largest city in America.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03New York, baby!
0:01:03 > 0:01:06Home of glitz, glamour and showbiz.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10Not an ideal place to look for nightmare wildlife, you might think,
0:01:10 > 0:01:12but you'd be surprised!
0:01:13 > 0:01:19The city of New York is on the east coast of the mighty US of A.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22It covers an area half the size of London,
0:01:22 > 0:01:25but is home to over eight million people.
0:01:28 > 0:01:31With it's gazillion nooks and crannies,
0:01:31 > 0:01:33tonnes of rubbish
0:01:33 > 0:01:35and green spaces,
0:01:35 > 0:01:38it offers a great opportunity for any animal
0:01:38 > 0:01:42who is up for chancing his luck in the biggest of big smokes.
0:01:44 > 0:01:47We're on the trail of New York's hidden nightmares.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51I'll be scaling the heights in search for a buzzing swarm,
0:01:51 > 0:01:56joining some prehistoric monsters on a night-time beach safari...
0:01:56 > 0:01:58It's like an alien, isn't it?
0:01:58 > 0:02:01..and meeting some blood sucking critters
0:02:01 > 0:02:04that are taking New York by storm.
0:02:04 > 0:02:07- It's filling up with your blood and I can see it.- Uh-huh.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11Now, this is how I like to arrive at a nightmare destination.
0:02:18 > 0:02:19Ha-ha.
0:02:21 > 0:02:22Only Brooklyn Bridge.
0:02:25 > 0:02:26Woohoo!
0:02:27 > 0:02:29This nightmare of nature emerges
0:02:29 > 0:02:32when darkness falls on the city of New York.
0:02:32 > 0:02:34They rampage through people's houses.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36They terrorise pets.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38They feast on rubbish.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41My first nightmare of nature is the raccoon.
0:02:42 > 0:02:45Oh, my gosh. There's a racoon walking towards me.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49'There are estimated to be over 30,000 raccoons
0:02:49 > 0:02:51'living in New York city...
0:02:51 > 0:02:53Huh! Oh, oh, oh!
0:02:53 > 0:02:55'..more than twice the concentration found
0:02:55 > 0:02:58- 'in the surrounding countryside...' - Good God!
0:02:58 > 0:03:00'..moving into bath tubs,
0:03:00 > 0:03:01'stealing food...
0:03:04 > 0:03:07'..and destroying people's houses.
0:03:07 > 0:03:12'These city slickers are fast becoming New York's most wanted.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18'I'm heading to a centre where problem raccoons
0:03:18 > 0:03:21'are rehabilitated and then released into the wild.
0:03:21 > 0:03:23'I want to see first-hand
0:03:23 > 0:03:27'if these rascally raccoons deserve their bad boy reputation.
0:03:29 > 0:03:31'The centre is run by Kelly...'
0:03:31 > 0:03:33Hi, Kelly.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37'..and the raccoon I'm here to meet is called Digby.'
0:03:40 > 0:03:42Hello, Digby.
0:03:42 > 0:03:44'Digby has been with Kelly for two years.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49'She's blind and so can't be released into the wild.'
0:03:50 > 0:03:53- It's right here. It's right here. - Please don't eat my finger.
0:03:53 > 0:03:55Oh!
0:03:55 > 0:03:58Don't move fast. Calm down, Naomi.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01- Oh, she's snappy, isn't she? - Easy.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05- Hold it as little as possible. - Put as much out as you can.
0:04:05 > 0:04:07Good grief, man, you're scary.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10Right here. Right here. It's right here.
0:04:10 > 0:04:11No, that's a finger.
0:04:11 > 0:04:12There we are.
0:04:14 > 0:04:16So this shows very clearly why it's a problem
0:04:16 > 0:04:19when raccoons come into contact with people in the city.
0:04:19 > 0:04:25Humans just don't understand they have claws, they have fangs
0:04:25 > 0:04:29and their only way to defend themselves is to bite and claw.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32How come they come and live in people's houses?
0:04:32 > 0:04:34They like to live in dark, quiet areas.
0:04:34 > 0:04:37But they'll break in, will they? Like a little burglar?
0:04:37 > 0:04:40They'll peel off the siding. They'll chew through,
0:04:40 > 0:04:42and you can see how sharp their teeth are,
0:04:42 > 0:04:46and those hands are so dextrous they can pretty much manipulate anything.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52'It's not just their dexterity that makes them nightmare neighbours.
0:04:52 > 0:04:55'They have sharp teeth and claws,
0:04:55 > 0:04:58'used in the wild for digging and cracking nuts.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02'A great sense of smell helps them find food
0:05:02 > 0:05:04'and unshakable bravery,
0:05:04 > 0:05:06'despite their size.'
0:05:08 > 0:05:10- RACCOON GROWLS - Easy. OK.
0:05:14 > 0:05:16NAOMI LAUGHS
0:05:16 > 0:05:17That gave me a fright.
0:05:17 > 0:05:20Easy, easy, easy.
0:05:20 > 0:05:23'Time to give Digby some space
0:05:23 > 0:05:25'and she has certainly shown me
0:05:25 > 0:05:28'why combining a city full of people
0:05:28 > 0:05:31'and a high concentration of raccoons is a recipe for disaster.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35'But Kelly is going to show me another side
0:05:35 > 0:05:37'to this masked bandit
0:05:37 > 0:05:40'and I have a feeling I'm going to like it.'
0:05:42 > 0:05:46Oh, my word! One of the cutest animals ever.
0:05:46 > 0:05:47Baby raccoon.
0:05:49 > 0:05:50OK. So...
0:05:52 > 0:05:55..very clingy with their claws.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58So this is five days old, can't really walk.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02You're a raccoon mom, now. Look at that.
0:06:02 > 0:06:05- I'm a raccoon mum! - She's a racoon mom.
0:06:05 > 0:06:06Oh!
0:06:06 > 0:06:09- Oh, my word, that was fast. - That was fast.
0:06:09 > 0:06:11Sometimes what we even do is, we kind of burp them.
0:06:11 > 0:06:13Wind them? Like a baby?
0:06:13 > 0:06:15- Will it burp.- Sometimes...- Really?
0:06:15 > 0:06:18- ..they'll give you a little burp. - Little raccoon burp?
0:06:18 > 0:06:20So sweet.
0:06:20 > 0:06:22BABY RACCOON BURPS
0:06:24 > 0:06:27So, could the raccoon be classed as a nightmare of nature?
0:06:27 > 0:06:30Well, they are intelligent, they are dextrous and they are cunning
0:06:30 > 0:06:32and that enables them to live
0:06:32 > 0:06:34and thrive in a city like New York
0:06:34 > 0:06:37and as babies they are super cute.
0:06:37 > 0:06:39But, would I want one living in my attic,
0:06:39 > 0:06:40eating my rubbish
0:06:40 > 0:06:42and terrorising my pet cat?
0:06:42 > 0:06:43Probably not!
0:06:47 > 0:06:49'Back in the centre of town,
0:06:49 > 0:06:53'I'm off to meet some of New York's high flyers.'
0:06:53 > 0:06:57This animal could be many people's idea of an ultimate
0:06:57 > 0:06:58nightmare of nature.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00They live in their millions,
0:07:00 > 0:07:02they can inject poison strong enough to scare off a bear
0:07:02 > 0:07:07and they are under the central control of an all-powerful queen!
0:07:07 > 0:07:09A bit like you lot, really.
0:07:09 > 0:07:11All powerful queen! Get it?
0:07:12 > 0:07:14All right, not like me.
0:07:14 > 0:07:17All those nightmare credentials and, to top it off, they live right here
0:07:17 > 0:07:19in the centre of New York city
0:07:19 > 0:07:21and, to find them, I need to get up there.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28'This New York nasty obviously has a head for heights...'
0:07:28 > 0:07:30- Hello.- Welcome to Brooks Brothers. - Thank you very much.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32'..and men's fashion?'
0:07:34 > 0:07:36Nightmare on the 10th floor.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40Going up.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48The nightmare contender I'm here to see is the honeybee.
0:07:50 > 0:07:53'The honeybee is found all over the world.
0:07:53 > 0:07:56'They exist in colonies with one queen
0:07:56 > 0:07:58'and tens of thousands of workers.
0:07:59 > 0:08:03'Any creature approaching a bees' nest
0:08:03 > 0:08:05'runs the gauntlet of thousands of stings.
0:08:07 > 0:08:11'Their sharp sting punctures the skin and then rips out of
0:08:11 > 0:08:16'the honeybee's body, still pulsating to inject the maximum dose of venom.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21'The sting also releases an attack pheromone,
0:08:21 > 0:08:23'which triggers other bees to join in.
0:08:27 > 0:08:29'Don't be fooled by their love of flowers.
0:08:29 > 0:08:32'These coordinated, toxic flying machines
0:08:32 > 0:08:35'have all the credentials to be my worst nightmare.'
0:08:37 > 0:08:39To meet these mini marauders I'm going to need
0:08:39 > 0:08:40some special clothing,
0:08:40 > 0:08:42so I need to put on my bee suit.
0:08:42 > 0:08:45Give me a minute. I'll just get changed.
0:08:45 > 0:08:49Ta-da! Check me out in my bee suit. Bzz.
0:08:55 > 0:08:59- Oh.- Bee suit?- Oh, no. I thought you meant this sort. You didn't?
0:09:01 > 0:09:03I'm a bit embarrassed now.
0:09:06 > 0:09:09So now that I'm kitted out properly,
0:09:09 > 0:09:12I'm going to meet a man who's looking after thousands of bees
0:09:12 > 0:09:14on the top of this sky scraper.
0:09:16 > 0:09:19'I need to get to the bottom of how millions of creatures with such
0:09:19 > 0:09:24'impressive nightmare credentials can live in a place like New York.'
0:09:24 > 0:09:26- Hi. - Hey, Naomi.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29- Hello, Andrew. Good to meet you. - Good to meet you, too.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35- Why are there bees here? - Because I put them here.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37But why in New York?
0:09:37 > 0:09:41It may seem strange to have bees on top of a building in New York city
0:09:41 > 0:09:43but, really, it's a natural place for them to be.
0:09:43 > 0:09:45There's plenty of food around for them.
0:09:45 > 0:09:48Central Park is just a few blocks that way.
0:09:48 > 0:09:51These bees can fly for three miles in every direction and they do.
0:09:51 > 0:09:52- So there's no problem? - No problem.
0:09:52 > 0:09:55They're very happy little cosmopolitan bees
0:09:55 > 0:09:58living in Gotham City.
0:10:00 > 0:10:03'It's time to meet these city-dwelling bees.
0:10:03 > 0:10:05'Approaching a hive is something you should only do
0:10:05 > 0:10:08'if accompanied by an expert like Andrew
0:10:08 > 0:10:10and wearing the right gear.'
0:10:11 > 0:10:13Wow!
0:10:13 > 0:10:15Look at all those bees!
0:10:16 > 0:10:18- There are a lot of bees around us. - A lot of bees.
0:10:18 > 0:10:20What could happen if you get stung?
0:10:20 > 0:10:24Potentially, if a person is anaphylactic, they could have a
0:10:24 > 0:10:25very negative reaction.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28It could be as bad as death,
0:10:28 > 0:10:30but we're talking about someone who's highly allergic
0:10:30 > 0:10:32to the venom of the honeybee.
0:10:32 > 0:10:35That person is probably aware that she or he is anaphylactic
0:10:35 > 0:10:37and carries around an epipen.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41'So you could die from the sting of a honeybee,
0:10:41 > 0:10:43'but that's worst-case scenario
0:10:43 > 0:10:47'and for most of us a sting will just give us a bit of pain
0:10:47 > 0:10:48'and some swelling.'
0:10:49 > 0:10:51So they can be aggressive
0:10:51 > 0:10:54but they'd only do that to protect their food or their young?
0:10:54 > 0:10:56You know, if you leave the bees alone
0:10:56 > 0:10:57they're going to leave you alone.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59Now they could swarm,
0:10:59 > 0:11:03which is when about one-third of these bees, maybe ten to 20,000
0:11:03 > 0:11:07go together in a group and land on a tree branch or...
0:11:07 > 0:11:09- Down in the city? - It's happened.
0:11:09 > 0:11:10What are they doing when they swarming?
0:11:10 > 0:11:12They're looking for a new home.
0:11:14 > 0:11:17'Andrew is no stranger to swarming bees.
0:11:17 > 0:11:19'Any swarm in the city of New York
0:11:19 > 0:11:22'and he's the first port of call.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26'But he also knows that a swarm isn't as dangerous as many
0:11:26 > 0:11:27'people might think.'
0:11:29 > 0:11:31Swarms are docile. They are harmless,
0:11:31 > 0:11:34They have no hive to defend. They're unlikely to sting.
0:11:34 > 0:11:37So, if you see a swarm, you don't need to panic.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39They're just looking for a place to live.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42They are just trying to get by in the world, Naomi, like you and me.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44Ha-ha-ha.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48- Oh, there's the honeycomb.- There's the honeycomb and...- Brilliant.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51Oh, and all the honey. How do they make honey?
0:11:51 > 0:11:54They suck up a bunch of nectar,
0:11:54 > 0:11:57spit it into the mouth of one of their sisters,
0:11:57 > 0:12:00who spits it into another bee's mouth.
0:12:00 > 0:12:02- Back and forth, back and forth. - No way!
0:12:02 > 0:12:03It's true.
0:12:03 > 0:12:07- Literally. they pass it from one bee to the other...- They do.
0:12:07 > 0:12:08..in their mouths?
0:12:08 > 0:12:11And then they'll "Eurgh" it into one of these chambers?
0:12:11 > 0:12:13Well, let's not think of it that way.
0:12:15 > 0:12:18So, understanding bees a little bit better.
0:12:18 > 0:12:20If we give them some space. they don't pose us any threat
0:12:20 > 0:12:22and I do love honey!
0:12:22 > 0:12:23But, on the other hand,
0:12:23 > 0:12:27they can sting and could potentially cause a human serious harm.
0:12:27 > 0:12:29So, could I call the honeybee my worst nightmare?
0:12:33 > 0:12:36'With my feet back on solid ground
0:12:36 > 0:12:41'I'm on the hunt for a prehistoric monster of the deep.'
0:12:41 > 0:12:43My next nightmare contender has been around
0:12:43 > 0:12:47since before the dinosaurs and only comes out on a new or full moon.
0:12:49 > 0:12:54They spend almost all their lives unseen in the depths of the ocean,
0:12:54 > 0:12:56but on a night like tonight
0:12:56 > 0:13:00they drag themselves up this beach on the edge of New York city.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04The animal I'm hoping to find
0:13:04 > 0:13:05is the horseshoe crab.
0:13:09 > 0:13:13Luckily, we have an expert to help us with our hunt.
0:13:13 > 0:13:15Over there in the water, that's Matt.
0:13:15 > 0:13:18He monitors the horseshoe crabs around the city of New York
0:13:18 > 0:13:21so hopefully he'll be able to help us find one.
0:13:23 > 0:13:25Are the conditions good today?
0:13:25 > 0:13:28Yeah, they're perfect actually. There's a really nice new moon.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30There's a very good chance that we'll find them.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33All right, well, let's go searching, I'll try and help you.
0:13:34 > 0:13:37Have you got any top tips on how I find them?
0:13:37 > 0:13:40Basically, you're going to look for a kind of dome shape animal.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43- A dome shaped... - Domed shaped...
0:13:43 > 0:13:45- ..dark shape. - That's right.
0:13:46 > 0:13:50'And It doesn't take us long to find our first clue.'
0:13:50 > 0:13:53- Ah, we know we're in the right place. - Yeah.
0:13:53 > 0:13:56'Discarded horseshoe crab shells.'
0:13:56 > 0:13:59- Oh, that one's got a big... tail? - That is the tail.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01Wow. What does it use that for?
0:14:01 > 0:14:04So, this tail is actually... It looks kind of ominous, right?
0:14:04 > 0:14:07Sort of scary? It's actually not dangerous at all.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10This tail is used to help steer the animal in the water
0:14:10 > 0:14:12and it is also used to help flip itself over
0:14:12 > 0:14:15when it gets flipped over on the beach from the waves.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18- So...- Ah, OK.- And, er, you can feel those spines.
0:14:18 > 0:14:21- Are they sharp?- They are very sharp, so they are well protected.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25Ooh, yes, ow! So finding all of these means we're in the right place?
0:14:25 > 0:14:26Yeah, we're getting warmer!
0:14:33 > 0:14:36Come on horseshoe crab, where are you?
0:14:36 > 0:14:40- Hey, Naomi, I've found one. - You found one?- Come on over.
0:14:40 > 0:14:42- Is it alive?- Yep.
0:14:42 > 0:14:44- We've found one! I don't believe it. - There's one that's stranded.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46Oh, let's have a look.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50Looks like a large female that is stranded.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53Oh, my word. It's one of the weirdest animals I've ever seen.
0:14:53 > 0:14:57- Really.- Yeah. It's odd isn't it? - I thought you've seen some...
0:14:57 > 0:15:01I've seen some odd things but this is one of the weirdest.
0:15:01 > 0:15:04'Horseshoe crabs aren't actually crabs at all.
0:15:04 > 0:15:06'They're more closely related to spiders
0:15:06 > 0:15:09'and scorpions than our pinchy seaside friends.'
0:15:11 > 0:15:13So they are not dangerous?
0:15:13 > 0:15:14They are not dangerous.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17- It's not going to hurt us?- They look it, but they are not dangerous.
0:15:17 > 0:15:19There's nothing really venomous or poisonous or toxic.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22Not going to hurt a human. You can feel how heavy she is.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27- This looks like a...- Oh, yeah. - ..pretty old female, too.
0:15:27 > 0:15:29That's amazing.
0:15:29 > 0:15:30And you can see the gills.
0:15:32 > 0:15:34- Oh.- They look like little pages on a book.
0:15:34 > 0:15:36Oh, there's hundreds of them.
0:15:36 > 0:15:40Yeah, and here are the little limbs that push the food right in.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43But that's its mouth, all those hairy bits?
0:15:43 > 0:15:45That's right. Those are actually just kind of like bristles,
0:15:45 > 0:15:48and they kind of grind up the food as they eat it.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51- It's like an alien, isn't it? - It is. It looks just like an alien.
0:15:51 > 0:15:52So prehistoric.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55The merostomata. That's the class it belongs to.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57It literally means mouth surrounded by legs.
0:15:57 > 0:15:59And that's exactly what it is.
0:15:59 > 0:16:02Mouth surrounded by legs. That's a perfect description.
0:16:04 > 0:16:06'On the highest spring tides,
0:16:06 > 0:16:09'the beaches around New York experience an armoured,
0:16:09 > 0:16:11'prehistoric invasion.
0:16:13 > 0:16:16'Horseshoe crabs leave the sea in their thousands
0:16:16 > 0:16:18'to lay their eggs on land.'
0:16:19 > 0:16:22Usually what happens is the female will dig into the sand.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26- She lays about 4,000 eggs in the sand.- Wow! 4,000 eggs?
0:16:26 > 0:16:28That's right.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31So, Matt, do you think the horseshoe crab is a nightmare of nature?
0:16:31 > 0:16:34I would have to say, while they look like a nightmare of nature,
0:16:34 > 0:16:37I think it's actually just an incredible,
0:16:37 > 0:16:40beautiful animal that's survived the test of time.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43Beautiful? I challenge you on that one.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46- Well, when you flip it over this way...- Yeah, yeah, yeah.
0:16:46 > 0:16:50- Look at it that way. - It's a lot cuter.- Beautiful!
0:16:50 > 0:16:53So, they may be armour plated,
0:16:53 > 0:16:54pretty weird looking
0:16:54 > 0:16:57and prone to creeping around in the dark
0:16:57 > 0:16:59but actually they are totally harmless
0:16:59 > 0:17:01and really rather fascinating.
0:17:01 > 0:17:03So now that I've met one,
0:17:03 > 0:17:07surely I can't call the horseshoe crab a nightmare of nature.
0:17:07 > 0:17:08Can I?
0:17:10 > 0:17:12Time to return this monster to the deep.
0:17:21 > 0:17:25My next nightmare of nature is taking over New York city!
0:17:25 > 0:17:27They hide in people's beds.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30They hunt at night and they drink blood!
0:17:30 > 0:17:33So, I'm going to find out if the average New Yorker
0:17:33 > 0:17:34knows what they are.
0:17:34 > 0:17:37Do you know what this is?
0:17:37 > 0:17:39- A cricket.- A spider?
0:17:39 > 0:17:40A nasty cockroach.
0:17:40 > 0:17:41It looks like a spider.
0:17:41 > 0:17:43It looks like a really big beetle.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45Do you know where might live?
0:17:45 > 0:17:46China?
0:17:46 > 0:17:47Africa?
0:17:47 > 0:17:49- In a dog?- Australia.
0:17:49 > 0:17:50In Australia.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52Australia?
0:17:52 > 0:17:54And what do you think it's eating?
0:17:54 > 0:17:56Jelly.
0:17:56 > 0:17:58Ladybugs. Crickets.
0:17:58 > 0:18:00I think it eats, like, hair.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02Er, blood.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04- Do you want to know what it is? - Yeah, what is it?
0:18:04 > 0:18:07- It's a bedbug. - Oh, wow.
0:18:07 > 0:18:08- It's a bedbug.- Wow.
0:18:09 > 0:18:12- Bedbug. - Ew!
0:18:12 > 0:18:15'My next nightmare of nature is indeed the bedbug.
0:18:20 > 0:18:24'Bedbugs are descended from cave dwelling insects that
0:18:24 > 0:18:28'fed on bats but have now developed a taste for human blood!
0:18:30 > 0:18:32'They thrive in places like New York
0:18:32 > 0:18:35'where lots of people live close together.
0:18:36 > 0:18:40'Inserting their needle-like mouth parts through the skin,
0:18:40 > 0:18:41'they drink their fill.'
0:18:44 > 0:18:47I've come to a lab in the centre of New York to meet a man who looks
0:18:47 > 0:18:50after and researches bedbugs.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52- Hello.- Oh, hello.
0:18:52 > 0:18:54- Hi.- How are you?
0:18:54 > 0:18:57Ooh! I was really good until I saw that.
0:18:57 > 0:19:01- Hello. Lovely to met you. - Oh, hi. How are you?
0:19:01 > 0:19:02That's on you?
0:19:02 > 0:19:04That's on my finger, yes.
0:19:04 > 0:19:07And she's pumping, sucking up blood.
0:19:07 > 0:19:11- It's filling up with your blood and I can see it.- Hu-huh.- Eurgh!
0:19:11 > 0:19:14- When will it stop? - When it's full.
0:19:14 > 0:19:15Some of these take a few minutes
0:19:15 > 0:19:18to up to ten minutes to feed, especially adults.
0:19:18 > 0:19:21And you could have multiple bedbugs feeding on you at one time?
0:19:21 > 0:19:24Oh, you can have one to hundreds or more on you at the same time,
0:19:24 > 0:19:28depending how infested that area is, you know, where you're staying.
0:19:28 > 0:19:31- Oh, they are nasty. - Uh-huh.
0:19:31 > 0:19:33Why do they live in our beds?
0:19:33 > 0:19:35Actually, they don't have to live in our beds
0:19:35 > 0:19:39It's usually where the host, where the person, is the most.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41- So they're called bedbugs but they live everywhere.- Yeah.
0:19:41 > 0:19:44They pick up on your carbon dioxide when you exhale
0:19:44 > 0:19:46and then when they're close they pick
0:19:46 > 0:19:49up on the heat from your body and then they'll feed on you.
0:19:50 > 0:19:52Oh, it makes me itch.
0:19:52 > 0:19:55They are creepy, aren't they?
0:19:55 > 0:19:57- So here... - Oh, look!
0:19:57 > 0:20:00..this is on my red birth mark.
0:20:02 > 0:20:03That's got to hurt, hasn't it,
0:20:03 > 0:20:05if you've got lots of them biting at one time?
0:20:05 > 0:20:07- No not necessarily.- No?- No.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10If I leave them to feed for 20 minutes to half an hour then
0:20:10 > 0:20:15there's 500 or 1,000 or more feeding
0:20:15 > 0:20:17then I react because they've had so many feeds
0:20:17 > 0:20:19so it's reddish.
0:20:19 > 0:20:21You'd let 1,000 feed at one time on you?
0:20:21 > 0:20:22Yeah, I do.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27And they're all filling up with your blood now.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30Where did it go? where did it go?
0:20:30 > 0:20:32- You had one. - I know. I'm not sure where it went.
0:20:34 > 0:20:36Lost a bed bug.
0:20:36 > 0:20:37Everyone's itchy. Itchy!
0:20:39 > 0:20:41We're all itchy.
0:20:42 > 0:20:43There it is. It's on the brush.
0:20:43 > 0:20:46So tiny.
0:20:46 > 0:20:47Phwoar. That gave me a fright.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51They are a complete nightmare, aren't they?
0:20:51 > 0:20:53- They are a nightmare of nature. - Yes. They are, yes.
0:20:53 > 0:20:55Are there more people without bedbugs than with?
0:20:55 > 0:20:57Yes, I'd say there are.
0:20:57 > 0:21:02Good. So, on the whole, most people won't have bedbugs, would you say?
0:21:02 > 0:21:05Right, exactly. It's not an insect that's in everyone's home.
0:21:05 > 0:21:07- No.- No.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11'Bed bugs can be controlled by using pesticides
0:21:11 > 0:21:15'but the real problem is finding where they're hiding.'
0:21:15 > 0:21:16No need to fear!
0:21:16 > 0:21:19New York can sleep easy tonight knowing that there's a secret
0:21:19 > 0:21:23weapon, that will leave bedbugs quaking in their tiny little shoes!
0:21:27 > 0:21:30Ah. Hello, Trace.
0:21:30 > 0:21:31Yes, that's right.
0:21:31 > 0:21:33Trace the dog is New York's secret
0:21:33 > 0:21:36weapon in the fight against bedbugs!
0:21:38 > 0:21:41So what is it that makes Trace such a nightmare for bedbugs?
0:21:41 > 0:21:44Well, Trace has been trained to sniff them out.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46Right, well we're going to set Trace a bit of a challenge.
0:21:46 > 0:21:48If you might take her outside to play with a ball,
0:21:48 > 0:21:51I'm going to hide these two vials of bedbugs
0:21:51 > 0:21:53around the place and we'll see if she can "trace" them!
0:21:53 > 0:21:55- OK. Great.- Right, off you go.
0:21:55 > 0:21:56Don't peek.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59Sniff out bedbugs?
0:21:59 > 0:22:01Now this I have to see!
0:22:12 > 0:22:14Ha-ha. She'll never find it in there.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17OK, Trace, you're going to get no clues from me
0:22:17 > 0:22:20about where I've hidden them but we do want to get
0:22:20 > 0:22:21"Trace camera" point of view.
0:22:21 > 0:22:23So, ooh, can I pop that on your head?
0:22:37 > 0:22:39Show me. Good girl.
0:22:39 > 0:22:40She's found it!
0:22:57 > 0:22:58Atta girl, Trace. Well done.
0:23:00 > 0:23:01'All over New York,
0:23:01 > 0:23:05'dogs like Trace are hunting down bedbugs.'
0:23:05 > 0:23:06So do you think that Trace
0:23:06 > 0:23:10and other dogs like her can have an impact on the bedbugs of New York?
0:23:10 > 0:23:11They absolutely do!
0:23:11 > 0:23:13Atta girl, Trace. Well done!
0:23:14 > 0:23:18Well, there's no denying that bedbugs are super successful at what they do
0:23:18 > 0:23:22but with their bloodsucking behaviour and creepy antics
0:23:22 > 0:23:26I'd say they well and truly qualify as a nightmare of nature.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33As we've seen, New York is a haven for lots of wildlife,
0:23:33 > 0:23:35but it's also packed with people,
0:23:35 > 0:23:37chok-a-block with cars,
0:23:37 > 0:23:38it's ridiculously busy.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41It could be said, it's a real nightmare FOR nature!
0:23:43 > 0:23:47'Any animal living here is constantly exposed to the hazards of the city.
0:23:49 > 0:23:50'Towering buildings,
0:23:50 > 0:23:52'busy streets
0:23:52 > 0:23:54'and millions of people.
0:23:55 > 0:23:59'It's no wonder that every year thousands of creatures
0:23:59 > 0:24:01'need to be saved from the city itself.'
0:24:06 > 0:24:08I'm heading out of town to a local rescue centre to meet some
0:24:08 > 0:24:12of the animals who've had a complete nightmare in the city.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15'I'm going to meet Hope
0:24:15 > 0:24:17'who has helped thousands of animals
0:24:17 > 0:24:20'recover from their injuries and return to the wild.
0:24:22 > 0:24:25- Hope?- Yes.- Hello, I'm Naomi. - Welcome to Wild Baby Rescue.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34'Today is a special day for a group of squirrels
0:24:34 > 0:24:36'who struggled to find a home in the big city.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39'Far away from their forest home,
0:24:39 > 0:24:42'they were found stranded in an attic.
0:24:44 > 0:24:47'Hope has nursed them back to health over the winter
0:24:47 > 0:24:49'and today they'll return to the wild.
0:24:55 > 0:24:59'I'm joining three girl scouts
0:24:59 > 0:25:02'who are earning their nature badge by helping Hope with the release.'
0:25:02 > 0:25:04Right, let's watch. Are you ready?
0:25:06 > 0:25:08They are so sweet looking, aren't they?
0:25:08 > 0:25:09They look so cute.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12- Shall we count them as they come out? - Yeah.
0:25:12 > 0:25:14One!
0:25:19 > 0:25:21One, two, three, four,
0:25:21 > 0:25:25five, six, seven.
0:25:25 > 0:25:29- I wish I could climb like that. - Yeah.
0:25:29 > 0:25:33'This forest must feel a long way from the cramped city attic
0:25:33 > 0:25:35'where these squirrels were found.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39'And these aren't any ordinary squirrels.'
0:25:39 > 0:25:43Oh. look, look, look, look!
0:25:43 > 0:25:45- Oh, wow!- Did you see it?
0:25:45 > 0:25:47That's so cool!
0:25:47 > 0:25:49'These are flying squirrels.'
0:25:51 > 0:25:54There, there, there, there, there!
0:25:54 > 0:25:57- I can't stop screeching. I'm so excited.- I know.
0:25:57 > 0:25:59'They glide from tree to tree
0:25:59 > 0:26:02'using flaps of skin on either side of their bodies.'
0:26:02 > 0:26:04There goes another one.
0:26:04 > 0:26:07It's like a little rectangle in the sky.
0:26:08 > 0:26:1227 flying squirrels, flying free again!
0:26:15 > 0:26:18These flying squirrels have all been a victim of a nightmare
0:26:18 > 0:26:20in the city and, as far as I'm concerned,
0:26:20 > 0:26:21anything that hurts something this cute
0:26:21 > 0:26:24could definitely qualify to be my worst nightmare.
0:26:24 > 0:26:28And you lovely girls qualify for a Naomi's Nightmares of Nature
0:26:28 > 0:26:32- Girl Scout badge. - So cool!- This is amazing!
0:26:32 > 0:26:35You are welcome. Hey and one for me, too!
0:26:35 > 0:26:38- Yeah, you definitely deserve one. - Happy days. Thanks.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43The time has come to say, "See y'all later" to the Big Apple
0:26:43 > 0:26:46and I've met some pretty nightmarish critters along the way.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49But which New York resident is going to top my list?
0:26:49 > 0:26:53Will it be those toxic flying machines, the honeybees?
0:26:53 > 0:26:56Literally, they pass it from one bee to the other
0:26:56 > 0:26:58and then they'll "Eurgh" it into one of these chambers?
0:26:58 > 0:27:01Well, let's not think of it that way.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05Or those rascally raccoons that have been terrorizing the city?
0:27:09 > 0:27:11That gave me a fright!
0:27:11 > 0:27:14This time, I am totally certain that my New York worst nightmare
0:27:14 > 0:27:18just has to be those bloodsucking, bed occupying, creepy critters,
0:27:18 > 0:27:20the downright disgusting
0:27:20 > 0:27:22bedbugs. Ooh-wah!
0:27:22 > 0:27:25- When will it stop? - Er, when it's full.
0:27:36 > 0:27:39CAR HORN BLARES Ooh!
0:27:39 > 0:27:41NAOMI AND CREW LAUGH
0:27:41 > 0:27:43CAR HORN BLARES
0:27:44 > 0:27:45- That was perfect.- Perfect.