0:00:02 > 0:00:04Welcome to my Nightmares Of Nature!
0:00:07 > 0:00:09I'm Naomi Wilkinson!
0:00:09 > 0:00:10Oh, my goodness!
0:00:10 > 0:00:14And I'm coming face-to-face with the nightmares of the animal world.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Oooh!
0:00:16 > 0:00:19The ones that make your spine tingle...
0:00:20 > 0:00:23..your heart beat faster...
0:00:23 > 0:00:25Argh! There it is! There it is!
0:00:25 > 0:00:26..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 > 0:00:40Come with me as I shine a light on wildlife's deepest, darkest secrets.
0:00:42 > 0:00:45And see if you can guess which will be my worst nightmare.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49EERIE WAILING
0:00:51 > 0:00:55Welcome to my House of Horrors! Do come in!
0:00:55 > 0:00:58This time, on Nightmares Of Nature,
0:00:58 > 0:01:02I'm taking you on a tour of the creepy critters
0:01:02 > 0:01:06collecting in the corners of this hideous haunted house.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08Naomi? What are you doing?
0:01:08 > 0:01:10This house isn't haunted.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12I know it's not! It's my friend's house.
0:01:12 > 0:01:15But I'm just trying to make a spooky opening, so just...
0:01:15 > 0:01:16You're spoiling it. Just go in there.
0:01:16 > 0:01:19Can I have my effects back, please?
0:01:20 > 0:01:22Thank you.
0:01:22 > 0:01:26I am going to take you on a tour of this perfectly normal house.
0:01:26 > 0:01:31But I can still show you that it is full of nightmares!
0:01:33 > 0:01:36Yes, our homes here in the UK are as good a place as any
0:01:36 > 0:01:39to seek out some nightmares of nature.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43So forget the map, we all know where we live.
0:01:43 > 0:01:49This time, we have come to any old house in any old street in the UK...
0:01:50 > 0:01:53..to show you the nightmare nasties roaming in your rooms.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55Whaa!
0:01:55 > 0:01:58Gathering in your gardens.
0:01:58 > 0:01:59Eurgh!
0:01:59 > 0:02:01And sauntering through your streets.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04- Yargh!- What was that?!
0:02:04 > 0:02:09And my horror house tour begins in the bathroom.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15It's not everyone's favourite part of the house to hang out in,
0:02:15 > 0:02:17but there is one spindly spinner
0:02:17 > 0:02:21that just loves to play hide-and-seek in here.
0:02:22 > 0:02:27Under the sink, behind the shower curtain, down the plughole!
0:02:29 > 0:02:31Spiders!
0:02:31 > 0:02:36Argh! Look at that eight-legged monstrosity!
0:02:38 > 0:02:43There are over 650 different species of spider in the UK.
0:02:43 > 0:02:45All of them bite.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49And, like us, they like to hunker down in winter in our houses!
0:02:51 > 0:02:55Not so long ago, spiders were one of my biggest phobias.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58I don't like it!
0:02:58 > 0:02:59But over the years,
0:02:59 > 0:03:03I'm proud to say I have pretty much conquered my fear.
0:03:04 > 0:03:05DOORBELL
0:03:05 > 0:03:08So I thought if I can do it, anyone can do it.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Which is why I've invited my spider-scolding friend, Ed, along
0:03:11 > 0:03:14to see if I can turn his terror into tenderness.
0:03:16 > 0:03:17He's going to love this.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20- Hello!- Hello!- Hello!
0:03:25 > 0:03:27Oh! I can't believe I agreed to come on this show.
0:03:27 > 0:03:30You know you're always taking the mickey out of me for being scared?
0:03:30 > 0:03:34Yep. "Oooh, I'm scared of sharks! Oh, I'm scared of badgers!"
0:03:34 > 0:03:37Well, I thought I'd see how you cope. Hm!
0:03:37 > 0:03:39- Is it some lovely kittens?- Nope!
0:03:39 > 0:03:42Over the last few days, the Nightmares team
0:03:42 > 0:03:45has been collecting spiders from around their homes
0:03:45 > 0:03:50and fondly naming them after the food container they were stored in.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53Now, knowing Petrie, he's going to play this cool,
0:03:53 > 0:03:57but trust me, he is petrified of spiders.
0:03:57 > 0:04:01So, to calm his nerves around Bolognese, Beans and their pals,
0:04:01 > 0:04:05I've also invited critter expert Tim.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Shall we start with the spiders in the wine glasses?
0:04:12 > 0:04:13It's the worst dinner party ever!
0:04:13 > 0:04:15THEY CHUCKLE
0:04:15 > 0:04:18So this spider here you've probably seen running across
0:04:18 > 0:04:21- the living-room floor when you're watching telly.- Yep.- Yes.
0:04:21 > 0:04:23It's one of my least favourites.
0:04:23 > 0:04:26It's got those things, the fangy things.
0:04:26 > 0:04:29The bits at the front, like boxing gloves on the end of sticks.
0:04:29 > 0:04:30- Yeah!- They're not his fangs.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33'They use them to feel their way around.'
0:04:33 > 0:04:36These mean that it's an adult male.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38- That's cool, because you can see those quite clearly.- Yep.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41So you could sound like a spider expert and just go,
0:04:41 > 0:04:43- "Yeah, that's a male". - While you're standing on a stool.
0:04:43 > 0:04:46- SHE LAUGHS Screaming.- Screaming.
0:04:46 > 0:04:49This is also the spider that you often find in the bath.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52Because spiders, just like us, need to drink.
0:04:52 > 0:04:54- Most people think spiders come out of the plughole.- Yeah.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57If you think about a bath, it's got a tiny hole at the bottom,
0:04:57 > 0:04:59- but a huge, big hole at the top.- Mm.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01So as a spider is walking around,
0:05:01 > 0:05:03he falls into the big hole at the top.
0:05:03 > 0:05:07And because his legs are used to walking across his spider web,
0:05:07 > 0:05:09he can't grip onto the smooth sides.
0:05:09 > 0:05:12- Aw! So, it's a total mistake if they're in the bath?- Yeah.
0:05:12 > 0:05:15The worst thing you can do is think, "Oh, he's come out of the plughole.
0:05:15 > 0:05:17"We'll let him go back down there and wash him down."
0:05:20 > 0:05:24Time for spider number two.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26So this is another really common spider.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28If you imagine a spider web or see a spider web in a cartoon...
0:05:28 > 0:05:30They sit right in the middle.
0:05:30 > 0:05:32..that is the kind of web that this spider builds.
0:05:34 > 0:05:37And true to form Beans is already building.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41So this bit of silk flying off the back, that's not an accident?
0:05:41 > 0:05:45No, this is one of the ways that spiders get across a gap.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48So it sits right at the top of a branch and it feels the wind,
0:05:48 > 0:05:51it feels the wind moving and it sprays a line of silk
0:05:51 > 0:05:53from the end of its body.
0:05:53 > 0:05:54And you can see, if I touch this
0:05:54 > 0:05:56silk over here, it attaches
0:05:56 > 0:05:57onto my finger.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00So that silk could attach to a tree on the other side and then it
0:06:00 > 0:06:04could actually use that to crawl all the way across, like a tightrope.
0:06:04 > 0:06:05That's genius.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08I'm starting to quite like Beans, actually, he's got a personality.
0:06:10 > 0:06:14Can we win Ed over on our final, somewhat controversial
0:06:14 > 0:06:15spider, though?
0:06:15 > 0:06:17So it's got a very gruesome-sounding name.
0:06:17 > 0:06:20- It's actually a relative of the black widow spiders...- Right, bye!
0:06:20 > 0:06:22- ..that you get in North America. - I'm leaving now, bye.
0:06:22 > 0:06:24- Really dangerous. - It's been lovely and everything.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27- Don't worry, Ed, don't worry. - I'll see you around, Naomi.
0:06:27 > 0:06:29- Come on, Petrie, you wuss. - See you on Marry Mum And Dad.
0:06:29 > 0:06:31- Come back, come back. - There's more to the story,
0:06:31 > 0:06:32- we haven't finished yet.- Uh!
0:06:32 > 0:06:35- This is the normal reaction. People think, "Argh!"- "Agh!"
0:06:35 > 0:06:37Normal, sensible reactions.
0:06:37 > 0:06:40But the false widow is actually pretty much harmless.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44- Pretty much harmless?- Pretty much harmless.- Good, I trust you, Tim.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46So the bite from one of these spiders is no worse
0:06:46 > 0:06:48than a bee or a wasp sting.
0:06:48 > 0:06:49They'll only bite you if they're
0:06:49 > 0:06:52stressed and you're causing it concern?
0:06:52 > 0:06:54- I don't like the look of it.- Why?
0:06:54 > 0:06:57It just looks a bit terrifying.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59'Hm, poor Paella.
0:06:59 > 0:07:04'To prove to Ed, and you, that she's not scary, I'm going to hold her.'
0:07:04 > 0:07:07Come on then, Paella. You can barely feel it.
0:07:08 > 0:07:09I like this one now.
0:07:10 > 0:07:13Is that bulbous body packed with venom?
0:07:13 > 0:07:17No, this is a female so she's probably about to lay eggs.
0:07:17 > 0:07:20Look, she's just sitting still. It's fine.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24- Ed, want to have a go? - Not really, no.- Come on.
0:07:24 > 0:07:27OK, well, if I do hold a spider, you've got to do a dare.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29- Want to shake on that?- No.
0:07:32 > 0:07:35Whether this leggy lot will be in the running for my worst
0:07:35 > 0:07:38nightmare will probably depend on what Ed's got in store for me.
0:07:38 > 0:07:42In the meantime, I'm off to explore some more nightmare nooks.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46And believe me, there are nasties
0:07:46 > 0:07:50to be found in every room of the house.
0:07:50 > 0:07:54Did you know that a brand-new cushion like this can double
0:07:54 > 0:07:58its weight in three years thanks to the build-up of dust mites
0:07:58 > 0:08:00inside it?
0:08:00 > 0:08:05These eight-legged critters belong to the spider family and feed on
0:08:05 > 0:08:08our dead skin flakes.
0:08:08 > 0:08:09Eww!
0:08:11 > 0:08:12SHE COUGHS
0:08:13 > 0:08:15Hiding in many of our wardrobes
0:08:15 > 0:08:18are moths that like to chomp on our clothes.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23But it's not the adult moths responsible for our holey jumpers,
0:08:23 > 0:08:25it's their larvae.
0:08:25 > 0:08:30Lovely, soft natural fibres like wool and silk make the perfect nest
0:08:30 > 0:08:33for laying eggs and a delicious dinner once hatched.
0:08:34 > 0:08:36Oh, by the way,
0:08:36 > 0:08:40they prefer dirty fabric containing nutrient-rich sweat.
0:08:40 > 0:08:41SHE SNIFFS There's a good reason
0:08:41 > 0:08:43to wash your clothes.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48Yep, even the near-freezing temperatures of the fridge
0:08:48 > 0:08:51aren't enough to fend off fiends.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53Fancy some cheese?
0:08:53 > 0:08:57Well, a few special cheeses like this one are riddled with
0:08:57 > 0:08:59thousands of cheese mites.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05Mmm! Anybody want some?
0:09:05 > 0:09:08Want to try a bit? Anyone? No?
0:09:08 > 0:09:10Perfectly harmless. Mm.
0:09:11 > 0:09:13Mighty fine.
0:09:13 > 0:09:15'The presence of horrible cheese mites may make your toes curl
0:09:15 > 0:09:17'but they are not found in your everyday cheeses.'
0:09:17 > 0:09:20My next nightmare can be found in the bedroom
0:09:20 > 0:09:22and the bathroom,
0:09:22 > 0:09:24ooh, and the kitchen.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27In fact, pretty much anywhere in the house that you happen to be
0:09:27 > 0:09:31if you're unfortunate enough to have them.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35Itchy, scratchy, creepy head lice!
0:09:36 > 0:09:40Thousands of UK kids bring them home from school every year
0:09:40 > 0:09:43on their heads.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46But I've been doing this show long enough to know that just because
0:09:46 > 0:09:50something looks and feels like a nightmare
0:09:50 > 0:09:53doesn't mean it definitely is a nightmare.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56So, with the help of my local school pals,
0:09:56 > 0:09:59I'm going to see if there's a nice side to lice.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06Apart from a cold, nits are one of the things you're most likely
0:10:06 > 0:10:08to catch from your classmates.
0:10:08 > 0:10:10So these year six pupils
0:10:10 > 0:10:13are perfectly placed to give their verdict
0:10:13 > 0:10:15on these irritating insects.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18Let's see if I can convince them that head lice aren't so bad
0:10:18 > 0:10:20after all.
0:10:22 > 0:10:26I've come armed with some live lice
0:10:26 > 0:10:31and a microscope so we can see them really big.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34- Are you ready to have a look at them? CHILDREN:- Yes!- Sure?- Yeah.
0:10:34 > 0:10:38Don't worry, they don't fly and they don't jump.
0:10:38 > 0:10:40Right, can you see that? It's moving.
0:10:40 > 0:10:42CHILDREN SHRIEK
0:10:42 > 0:10:46- It looks like a long spider. - It looks like a big ant.
0:10:46 > 0:10:47No, cute.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50- You think they're cute?- Cute?- No!
0:10:50 > 0:10:54- It feels like a tiny squirrel. - What?!- A tiny squirrel.
0:10:54 > 0:10:56Like a tiny squirrel, yeah?
0:10:58 > 0:11:02'We know these tiny...squirrels as nits.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04'But, actually, the crawling ones are lice.
0:11:04 > 0:11:09'The nits are the eggs they lay, which are glued to the hairs
0:11:09 > 0:11:12'so they can't get washed or brushed off.
0:11:12 > 0:11:16'Once hatched, the louse's six legs are the perfect width apart to
0:11:16 > 0:11:19'cling to two human-head hairs.'
0:11:21 > 0:11:23This is the perfect example on this one.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26They've got little claws on the end of each leg that help them grip
0:11:26 > 0:11:29hold of the hairs.
0:11:29 > 0:11:30Look how it climbs up the hair.
0:11:31 > 0:11:34They're good movers. Oh, yay, go, lice(!)
0:11:34 > 0:11:36OTHERS LAUGH
0:11:36 > 0:11:38- Do they suck your blood? - Exactly right.
0:11:38 > 0:11:41That's exactly what they do. They're quite like mosquitoes
0:11:41 > 0:11:42so they've got piercing,
0:11:42 > 0:11:48pointy mouthparts that they dig into your scalp and they suck the blood.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50- That's how they feed.- Like vampires. - Yeah, they're like vampires.
0:11:50 > 0:11:52- Are they dangerous?- No.
0:11:52 > 0:11:55They don't spread any diseases so the only harm they cause us
0:11:55 > 0:11:57is the itching.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00'What makes us itch is their saliva.
0:12:00 > 0:12:03'In it are substances that stop our blood clotting
0:12:03 > 0:12:07'so they can keep on sucking. But it's these substances that
0:12:07 > 0:12:10'we're allergic to so they make us scratch.'
0:12:12 > 0:12:16If they can't jump then how do they get onto other heads?
0:12:16 > 0:12:19They have to have head-to-head contact.
0:12:19 > 0:12:24'They crawl from one head to another when two hairs touch.'
0:12:25 > 0:12:29- I bet you that they love going to rugby matches.- I bet you are right.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32- I bet you are. Because of the scrum? - Yeah.
0:12:32 > 0:12:34Yeah, that's perfect head lice opportunity.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36Are lice helpful in any way?
0:12:38 > 0:12:39Well...
0:12:40 > 0:12:45..no. We could survive just fine without them.
0:12:45 > 0:12:48Think about it, they can't live on anywhere else on your body,
0:12:48 > 0:12:51they don't live on other animals, they only live on humans.
0:12:51 > 0:12:54They only live a month. Aw, they only live a month.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57- Do you feel sorry for them? CHILDREN:- No!
0:12:57 > 0:12:58We're survivors.
0:12:58 > 0:13:02- I think I'm losing this battle, aren't I?- Yeah.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04Who thinks they're nice? Hands up.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06And who thinks they're nasty?
0:13:06 > 0:13:11Yeah, I think everyone is pretty decided - they're nasty.
0:13:11 > 0:13:12I'm defeated.
0:13:14 > 0:13:17Well, I would love to say we are all wrong about head lice and
0:13:17 > 0:13:20they are actually cute, cuddly critters that serve
0:13:20 > 0:13:22a fundamental purpose to our universe.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25But my friends have cast their vote and quite frankly,
0:13:25 > 0:13:26I agree with them.
0:13:26 > 0:13:30Defi-nit-ely nasty and could easily crawl their way to the head
0:13:30 > 0:13:33of my worst-nightmare list. Eugh!
0:13:36 > 0:13:39Now, I haven't forgotten about my dare.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42I will be back later to check on Ed and his spiders.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46But for the moment, I've had enough of these home-scuttling,
0:13:46 > 0:13:48scratching, itching fiends.
0:13:48 > 0:13:52Eugh! Get me out of this nightmare house!
0:13:52 > 0:13:57Ah. Oh, at least my next nightmare is in the garden. Right.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00Guys, I think you've made a bit of a mistake here.
0:14:00 > 0:14:03It says here our next nightmare is the ladybird.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07- No, it's not. That's right, Naoms. - Is it?- Yeah.
0:14:07 > 0:14:08Oh, great.
0:14:08 > 0:14:11I'm looking forward to this one, then, cos they happen to be
0:14:11 > 0:14:14some of my favourite animals. Yes!
0:14:14 > 0:14:16MUSIC: Country Gardens by Percy Grainger
0:14:16 > 0:14:18Britain's best-loved beetle.
0:14:19 > 0:14:22A sign of good luck.
0:14:22 > 0:14:25Every gardener's best friend.
0:14:25 > 0:14:30The collective term for a group of ladybirds is a loveliness.
0:14:30 > 0:14:31Oh, come on, seriously.
0:14:31 > 0:14:33How can a group of insects known as a loveliness
0:14:33 > 0:14:35be a nightmare of nature?
0:14:40 > 0:14:44To get a better look at this curious creature I've come to see
0:14:44 > 0:14:46beetle expert Helen who's been
0:14:46 > 0:14:48,lining up some specimens for me
0:14:48 > 0:14:50under her microscope.
0:14:50 > 0:14:53Helen, I love ladybirds. This is going to be great.
0:14:53 > 0:14:55But what are they?
0:14:55 > 0:14:56That's not a ladybird.
0:14:56 > 0:15:00Before a ladybird becomes the ladybird we're so familiar with,
0:15:00 > 0:15:02it has to go through a variety of stages.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07So first of all, a ladybird begins its life as an egg.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12And then out hatches a really tiny little larva.
0:15:14 > 0:15:16So they are the larvae.
0:15:16 > 0:15:18Eugh, that's revolting.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21Then they've got a big challenge to find something to eat,
0:15:21 > 0:15:23so, actually, they then eat their brothers and sisters sometimes.
0:15:23 > 0:15:24What, they're cannibals?!
0:15:26 > 0:15:28That's right, and once these hungry horrors
0:15:28 > 0:15:31have run out of siblings to munch on,
0:15:31 > 0:15:35they gobble up aphids that are nearly as big as they are.
0:15:37 > 0:15:43As they grow and grow, they shed their skin again and again.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45Until they become a pupa.
0:15:47 > 0:15:48Under this protective shell,
0:15:48 > 0:15:52they prepare to make their big transformation.
0:15:53 > 0:15:55They literally break out of it.
0:15:56 > 0:15:58And then out emerges a beautiful adult.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01Yes, without spots.
0:16:01 > 0:16:03It takes a few hours for those to appear.
0:16:05 > 0:16:08So, as a larva, not so pretty, but as a beautiful adult,
0:16:08 > 0:16:11I mean, come on, we love them. They're not a nightmare, are they?
0:16:11 > 0:16:14- Well, let's go out in the garden and find out.- OK!
0:16:16 > 0:16:19First, though, we need to find some ladybirds.
0:16:24 > 0:16:26Well, we've done OK, haven't we?
0:16:26 > 0:16:27Yeah, I think we've done really well.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29We have three different species.
0:16:29 > 0:16:32I mean, they look pretty harmless to me, Helen.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35They're really beautiful. I mean, look at that seven-spot ladybird.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39But it will eat 60 to 80 aphids in one day.
0:16:39 > 0:16:41NAOMI GASPS
0:16:41 > 0:16:47Powerful jaws with sharp pincers crush and tear their prey apart,
0:16:47 > 0:16:51making them the insect equivalent of a tiger.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54Look at it. It looks so sweet.
0:16:54 > 0:16:59That red colouration with those black spots is warning colouration.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02It's full of toxins.
0:17:02 > 0:17:04If I was to touch it very gently,
0:17:04 > 0:17:07it might imagine that I'm being...a predator
0:17:07 > 0:17:11and exude some chemicals from its knees.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13Oh, yeah, look! That one's totally done it.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15Sitting in a pool of yellow.
0:17:15 > 0:17:16- That's not its wee? - No, that's not its wee.
0:17:16 > 0:17:18That's actually part of their blood,
0:17:18 > 0:17:22and it contains that chemical of toxins that are inside its body.
0:17:22 > 0:17:27- And it smells dreadful. - It smells like...sort of compost.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30And it really tastes quite horrible, so birds, for instance,
0:17:30 > 0:17:32will just spit them out if they accidentally feed on them.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34Good defence, ladybird.
0:17:36 > 0:17:40But there is one species of ladybird that outdoes them all.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42This.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45The invasive harlequin ladybird.
0:17:45 > 0:17:47It's a big beast of a beetle,
0:17:47 > 0:17:50twice the size of our native species,
0:17:50 > 0:17:52and much, much hungrier.
0:17:52 > 0:17:57Not only does this pilfering predator nick our ladybirds' food,
0:17:57 > 0:18:00it also gobbles up our ladybird larvae.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02And when it gets a bit chilly outdoors,
0:18:02 > 0:18:05these barbaric burglars invade our homes.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09In their hundreds!
0:18:09 > 0:18:13A loveliness of ladybirds? Nothing lovely about that.
0:18:13 > 0:18:15OK, so I stand corrected.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17I thought ladybirds were lovely,
0:18:17 > 0:18:20but actually, they're swarming cannibals with toxic knees.
0:18:20 > 0:18:23Not so ladylike after all.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26They could fly off with my worst-nightmare crown.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32My final contender is a neighbourhood nightmare.
0:18:34 > 0:18:37It cruises the streets in the dead of night,
0:18:37 > 0:18:39looking for its next meal.
0:18:41 > 0:18:45Unknown to us, tucked up safely indoors...
0:18:45 > 0:18:47SHE YAWNS
0:18:47 > 0:18:52"It was an ordinary Tuesday night. The moon shone bright.
0:18:52 > 0:18:57"Naomi had gone to bed early to catch up on some reading.
0:18:57 > 0:18:58"Alone, at last."
0:18:58 > 0:19:01SHE SIGHS
0:19:01 > 0:19:03Seriously, don't you lot ever go home?
0:19:05 > 0:19:08Yeah, maybe it was a good job they were there,
0:19:08 > 0:19:12because...outside her bedroom window,
0:19:12 > 0:19:16a predator was on the prowl.
0:19:16 > 0:19:19ANIMAL SCREECHES What was that?!
0:19:19 > 0:19:22That sounded horrific. SHE SIGHS
0:19:22 > 0:19:23I'm going to have to go and investigate.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29ANIMAL SCREECHES
0:19:31 > 0:19:33It seems I'm not alone.
0:19:33 > 0:19:37Also out on the hunt tonight is urban animal expert Ian.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41Ian's a specialist in capturing
0:19:41 > 0:19:43our culprit on camera.
0:19:44 > 0:19:48Yep, this suburban screecher is...
0:19:48 > 0:19:49the red fox...
0:19:50 > 0:19:55..with a reputation for spreading disease and ransacking rubbish
0:19:55 > 0:19:58as it runs riot on a hooligan killing spree.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04But despite this, I'm going to try and snap one, too.
0:20:07 > 0:20:08We don't have long to wait.
0:20:10 > 0:20:13- Is that it?- That's it, yeah. - Is that it on the pavement?
0:20:13 > 0:20:15Here it comes, here it comes, here it comes.
0:20:15 > 0:20:19'Oh, not exactly the miscreant I had in mind.'
0:20:19 > 0:20:22- SHE GASPS Oh, isn't it sweet?- Yeah.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24Wow, I never thought we would get this close.
0:20:25 > 0:20:28- It's pretty rare to get this close. - Yeah, I've never been this close.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31I've been taking photos for five years, and it's only ever
0:20:31 > 0:20:33three foxes that I've got that close to.
0:20:33 > 0:20:35So, this one looks really young.
0:20:35 > 0:20:38Yeah, this would be a cub from this year.
0:20:38 > 0:20:40He's probably about eight months old.
0:20:40 > 0:20:44At that tender age, a fox cub will be pushed out of its home territory
0:20:44 > 0:20:48by its parent so they don't have to share their food.
0:20:49 > 0:20:52So the parents will even fight their own offspring over food?
0:20:52 > 0:20:54They let them know that they need to move on.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56- And then they're left to just fend for themselves.- Yeah.
0:20:56 > 0:21:00- Wow. Tough life for a fox. - Yeah, it is. You have to learn fast.
0:21:00 > 0:21:02Careful you don't get run over!
0:21:03 > 0:21:07Ooh! Sweet little thing!
0:21:08 > 0:21:11Cars are the number one killers of urban foxes.
0:21:12 > 0:21:17Seems they're more victims of our streets than prowling predators.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21Looking at it now, it is so passive.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23What was that awful sound that I heard?
0:21:23 > 0:21:27It was probably the female fox calling for a mate.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31- That's her flirting? - Yeah, that's one way of putting it.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34- And the males find that attractive? - I suppose some do, yeah.
0:21:34 > 0:21:35It's bloodcurdling.
0:21:35 > 0:21:37- It sounds like there's a fight outside.- Yeah.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39So it's totally opposite to fighting, really?
0:21:39 > 0:21:42- Opposite in 100%, yeah. - It's looking for love.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47When they're not looking for love, they're looking for food.
0:21:47 > 0:21:50You won't find any nibbles in our camera gear.
0:21:53 > 0:21:56In fact, these gutsy guzzlers have been running amok
0:21:56 > 0:21:58in homes everywhere.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05But watching them up close tonight
0:22:05 > 0:22:08has been nothing less than a peaceful privilege.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14Even if my souvenirs leave a little to be desired.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20Well, now that I've seen them in the flesh,
0:22:20 > 0:22:24can I really call these crafty canines my worst nightmare?
0:22:24 > 0:22:27Smelly, noisy, mischievous, maybe,
0:22:27 > 0:22:29and clearly a nightmare to photograph,
0:22:29 > 0:22:32but I think these streets pose far more of a threat to them
0:22:32 > 0:22:34than they ever do to us.
0:22:36 > 0:22:37See ya.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40'So, not such a nightmare ordeal for me.'
0:22:42 > 0:22:44But I think it's time to find out
0:22:44 > 0:22:48how Ed's been doing with his spider therapy.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50OK, I'm back. How are you getting on?
0:22:50 > 0:22:54Well...pretty well so far cos I haven't had to hold this guy.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56And you're about to.
0:22:56 > 0:22:58Give it a go. Never mind you -
0:22:58 > 0:23:00I'm concerned that the spider might be worried.
0:23:01 > 0:23:05Look at him! He's really moving around a lot. Oh, dear.
0:23:05 > 0:23:08He's lovely, friendly Bolognese.
0:23:08 > 0:23:10He won't eat you. It's fine.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12- You're loving this, aren't you? - Every second.
0:23:12 > 0:23:14THEY LAUGH
0:23:14 > 0:23:16- That's it. Nice deep breaths. - Come on, Ed.
0:23:16 > 0:23:17Keep your hands nice and flat.
0:23:19 > 0:23:22- And there he goes.- There we go. - Yes! He's on your hand!
0:23:22 > 0:23:25- Well done, well done.- Oh... - How does it feel?
0:23:25 > 0:23:27Ew, he feels weird. He feels a bit weird.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31- Is it slightly tickly?- Yeah, he's a little bit tickly, isn't he?
0:23:31 > 0:23:33- Ew, there we go.... - So, it's about being calm.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36- Deep breath.- I am calm.- Relax.
0:23:36 > 0:23:41Just think how scared a spider must be of a huge animal like a human.
0:23:41 > 0:23:43That's better. That's better. I'm in the groove now.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46I'm getting used to it. I am getting used to it.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48So you're not going to be getting a pet tarantula,
0:23:48 > 0:23:51- but they're not quite as bad as you thought.- No.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53Who knows, maybe next time there's one in the bath
0:23:53 > 0:23:56maybe I could even pick it up and take it out of the house.
0:23:56 > 0:23:59And that's Ed's ordeal over.
0:23:59 > 0:24:04- Yay! Champion spider holder. - Well done.- Did it.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08- And well done to the spider as well. - He survived. Well done, spider.
0:24:09 > 0:24:13- Well, I faced my fears.- You did. - So it's time for your dare.
0:24:14 > 0:24:15Thank you.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17"Seeing as you've become so fond of spiders,
0:24:17 > 0:24:20"how about you see what it's like to be one?"
0:24:20 > 0:24:21Well, that's all right.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24- That's just sitting around and eating all day, isn't it?- Wrong.
0:24:28 > 0:24:29Oh, no.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37My breakfast is hanging from a tree
0:24:37 > 0:24:39at the end of a silk thread.
0:24:39 > 0:24:40Ooh...
0:24:40 > 0:24:43Otherwise known as a slackline.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46Spiders can balance effortlessly on single threads
0:24:46 > 0:24:49using thousands of tiny hairs on the ends of their legs.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51If they want to catch their breakfast,
0:24:51 > 0:24:54it is crucial that they navigate their delicate webs
0:24:54 > 0:24:56with grace and speed.
0:24:56 > 0:24:58Ooh! No! Argh!
0:25:00 > 0:25:02What did you move that for? I was using it.
0:25:06 > 0:25:09Ooh! Yeah, cool.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12Spiders that do manage to catch their breakfast
0:25:12 > 0:25:16then have to kill it with a stab of their sharp fangs.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19Oh... No, thank you!
0:25:19 > 0:25:22I'm not eating those. Full English for me, please.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27Oh, of course.
0:25:27 > 0:25:30Spiders inject their prey with digestive enzymes,
0:25:30 > 0:25:34liquefying their insides so they can drink their meal.
0:25:34 > 0:25:35Cheers.
0:25:35 > 0:25:37SLURPING
0:25:43 > 0:25:47House spiders can cover 330 times their own body length
0:25:47 > 0:25:49in just ten seconds.
0:25:49 > 0:25:54That is like you or me running 100 metres in one second.
0:25:54 > 0:25:56So don't blink, Ed, or you'll miss this.
0:25:56 > 0:25:59TRIUMPHANT MUSIC
0:26:07 > 0:26:09Woohoo! Ha-ha!
0:26:09 > 0:26:12SHE HUMS CELEBRATORY TUNE Easy! Yeah!
0:26:19 > 0:26:22The house spider needs speed on its side
0:26:22 > 0:26:25to escape its most deadly predator... Oh!
0:26:25 > 0:26:27..the dreaded homeowner!
0:26:27 > 0:26:30Just call me super-speedy spider.
0:26:30 > 0:26:32Ha-ha! Too fast for you!
0:26:34 > 0:26:37Do you think this is enough to stop me? You've got to be joking.
0:26:39 > 0:26:42Ha-ha! SHE BLOWS RASPBERRY
0:26:42 > 0:26:44SHE CACKLES
0:26:44 > 0:26:46SHE GASPS
0:26:46 > 0:26:49Oh, yeah, I forgot, house spiders often end their day
0:26:49 > 0:26:51getting washed down the plughole.
0:26:53 > 0:26:54Thanks for this, Ed.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56Being a house spider is no fun.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00Playing tag with giant humans, trying not to get washed away.
0:27:00 > 0:27:03I actually feel quite sorry for them.
0:27:03 > 0:27:06Is it a bit unfair to call them my worst nightmare?
0:27:08 > 0:27:11Well, Naomi, it's that part of the show when you decide
0:27:11 > 0:27:13what your worst nightmare is, so what's it going to be?
0:27:13 > 0:27:15I've learnt I don't have to travel halfway
0:27:15 > 0:27:16round the world to find nature's nightmares.
0:27:16 > 0:27:18There are plenty, not just on your doorstep,
0:27:18 > 0:27:20but on the wrong side of your doorstep.
0:27:20 > 0:27:22Spiders! Argh!
0:27:22 > 0:27:25I was pretty shocked by the ladybird, actually.
0:27:25 > 0:27:27The spiders! Ooh, nasty! Huh?
0:27:27 > 0:27:29Oh, remember that sound the fox made?
0:27:29 > 0:27:30FOX SCREECHES
0:27:30 > 0:27:33HE IMITATES FOX
0:27:33 > 0:27:34I know.
0:27:34 > 0:27:38It was the creepy, crawly, pointy-clawed, bloodsucking...
0:27:38 > 0:27:40Spiders! Bye, folks.
0:27:40 > 0:27:42..head lice.
0:27:42 > 0:27:45SCREAMS IN DISGUST
0:27:46 > 0:27:48Actually, Ed...what's that?
0:27:48 > 0:27:53What? Argh! ARGH!
0:27:53 > 0:27:54Argh!
0:27:54 > 0:27:56I'm never coming on this show again!
0:27:56 > 0:27:58SHE LAUGHS