Do you know what has been done to death? Documentaries about Africa and Whales. While cool in their own right, the documentaries have been playing since television came into the private home. We in North America probably know more about elephants and lions than the people that live there. I would rather watch a documentary on White-tailed Deer that live in my backyard.
On the contrast... this collection is everything that I wanted and more. This alien world of creepy crawlers and buzzers is the coolest documentary i have seen to date! It is the same BBC quality that goes into the oceans or plains of Africa but now with all new and wonderful, sometimes nightmarish, material.
I would recommend Life in the Undergrowth to anybody that loves nature and educational T.V.
Some people may not find insects all that majestic, but I usually find them to be vastly interesting creatures, as long as they're not crawling all over me! Despite my lack of interest in physically going to look at bugs on location, I am glad the BBC saw fit to bring the bugs onto my TV screen so I can view them there.
As is to be expected from a BBC production featuring Attenborough there is some top quality footage. Naturally they can't document all insects, but they give is a great variety across the five episodes between the two DVD's. This is a great introductory piece to the insect world if you are interested in using it for a biology class or something along those lines. They cover insects like moths, butterflies, spiders, aphids, centipedes, millipedes, ants and bees. Episodes touch upon aspects of how insects evolved and how they adapted to their specific locations in the world. They also go into detail about the insect's specific environment as well as how some insects develop symbiotic relationships with other insect species or the trees in which some make their homes.
As Attenborough points out, the only reason we are able to get some of this amazing footage is because prior to this we didn't have the micro cameras necessary to really capture some of these tiny insects in their environment. "Life in the Undergrowth" brings us into the burrows of ants and termites so we can see what goes on below ground. We also get an inside look on how bees interact with each other within a hive. The footage is truly breathtaking and we can view spiders making incredible webs in just a couple of minutes with the camera sped up. One of the most impressive footage is the night camera footage of a giant centipede hunting for bats at the top of a cavern. Truly an intimidating insect!
If you are looking for a wonderful introduction to the insect world then this is a superb place to start. While it may not cover the precise insects you find in your back yard, it will definitely touch upon some species variant of some kind. The footage is absolutely amazing and I learned a lot about the different insects shown here, since I am just starting to introduce myself to this kind of material. Honestly, I don't think you even have to be a major insect enthusiast to truly find this documentary interesting. Attenborough's narration makes this series very fun to watch providing wonderful anecdotes amidst the information he's trying to present to the viewer. A must watch in my opinion.
We oldies have grown up with David Attenborough. Even today he is still out there grubbing around, gently unearthing more secrets to share with us. This film and commentary is THE most astounding of all. It shows the insect world close up, in minute detail, at its most ingenious. The effort, patience and knowledge that has made this possible is beyond words. The long suffering, invisible crew is incredible of course, but it is David Attenborough's everlasting charisma that crowns it all.
All the people we know are a little bit in love with this man who infects us with his gentle enthusiam and love of the world about us, and bothers not a jot about his own comfort in sharing it all with us in his own inimitable way.
He may be in his 80's now,only slightly older than we are, but if there could be just ONE person on earth who could be given another 80 years on our Planet it should be this unique example of our species. Mention his name to natue lovers and couch potatoes alike and eyes light up, smiles radiate and secret admirations burst their dam and unashamedly pour from lips.
Give us excess of him, that surfeiting, the appetite may quicken and not die.