1 00:00:07,341 --> 00:00:09,841 Planet Earth is so spectacular, 2 00:00:10,636 --> 00:00:13,676 it's easy to miss the smaller things in life. 3 00:00:15,766 --> 00:00:17,636 But take a closer look... 4 00:00:18,143 --> 00:00:20,563 and there's a whole undiscovered world. 5 00:00:22,648 --> 00:00:24,978 A world where tiny heroes... 6 00:00:26,485 --> 00:00:27,815 and little monsters... 7 00:00:29,029 --> 00:00:31,409 need incredible superpowers... 8 00:00:34,618 --> 00:00:40,038 to help them triumph against giant odds. 9 00:00:51,969 --> 00:00:53,799 There's no place like home. 10 00:01:01,687 --> 00:01:04,857 And for a black-bellied field hamster, it's here... 11 00:01:07,276 --> 00:01:09,776 in the heart of the European countryside. 12 00:01:14,491 --> 00:01:16,161 The thing is... 13 00:01:18,579 --> 00:01:20,579 the countryside is changing. 14 00:01:43,979 --> 00:01:45,649 As the machines move in... 15 00:01:48,567 --> 00:01:50,437 animals move out. 16 00:02:03,790 --> 00:02:06,380 Most are so small it goes unnoticed. 17 00:02:16,220 --> 00:02:18,560 The lucky ones end up here. 18 00:02:22,809 --> 00:02:24,229 In our gardens. 19 00:02:30,150 --> 00:02:31,440 A familiar place. 20 00:02:35,030 --> 00:02:36,990 But on a smaller scale, 21 00:02:37,658 --> 00:02:40,078 it's a world of wonders... 22 00:02:43,455 --> 00:02:45,325 where little creatures rule. 23 00:02:50,254 --> 00:02:54,474 For these tiny tenants, the garden has everything. 24 00:02:56,134 --> 00:02:57,144 Cozy beds. 25 00:03:03,976 --> 00:03:05,306 Private suites. 26 00:03:09,022 --> 00:03:10,022 Even a pool. 27 00:03:12,276 --> 00:03:14,146 It may look like paradise. 28 00:03:16,864 --> 00:03:19,704 But there are dangers everywhere. 29 00:03:23,245 --> 00:03:27,455 Worst of all, this land is ruled by giants. 30 00:03:33,463 --> 00:03:37,263 So, what does it take to make this place home? 31 00:03:53,066 --> 00:03:54,606 Spring has arrived. 32 00:03:59,364 --> 00:04:01,874 And with it, a fresh supply of food. 33 00:04:16,380 --> 00:04:20,550 But where there's food, there's bound to be trouble. 34 00:04:34,441 --> 00:04:38,031 House cats kill more small mammals than any other predator. 35 00:04:45,285 --> 00:04:49,915 Luckily, squirrels are agile in body and mind. 36 00:04:53,252 --> 00:04:58,672 Where there's a will... and some nuts... there's a way. 37 00:05:17,234 --> 00:05:21,664 But the tightrope, that's not so easy to master. 38 00:05:34,042 --> 00:05:35,042 She'll be back. 39 00:05:38,172 --> 00:05:40,132 Squirrels are persistent. 40 00:05:45,470 --> 00:05:48,720 Of course, flying makes the bird table easier to reach. 41 00:05:58,192 --> 00:06:00,942 Robins start their families in early spring. 42 00:06:02,696 --> 00:06:06,776 So Dad can collect as much food as possible for his growing family. 43 00:06:13,165 --> 00:06:17,745 While Mom tends her brood, Dad's kept very busy 44 00:06:17,836 --> 00:06:21,086 feeding the chicks every five minutes. 45 00:06:24,218 --> 00:06:26,928 Avoiding other birds is the trickiest part. 46 00:06:32,100 --> 00:06:34,560 Robins are the most aggressive birds in the garden. 47 00:06:40,108 --> 00:06:42,528 And this is one of the most deadly. 48 00:06:52,037 --> 00:06:54,407 Flying at 50 kilometers per hour, 49 00:06:55,165 --> 00:06:58,165 a sparrow hawk is a small bird specialist. 50 00:07:15,644 --> 00:07:20,524 A failed hunt can also mean a free lunch. 51 00:07:34,079 --> 00:07:38,459 For black ants, just finding food is a mammoth expedition. 52 00:07:46,383 --> 00:07:48,593 They must navigate thick jungles... 53 00:07:50,929 --> 00:07:52,929 and traverse vast deserts. 54 00:08:00,439 --> 00:08:03,359 Back home, there's a colony of 5,000. 55 00:08:05,611 --> 00:08:09,321 And how they feed them is little short of miraculous. 56 00:08:16,246 --> 00:08:19,076 They've become aphid farmers. 57 00:08:20,667 --> 00:08:22,087 They don't eat them though. 58 00:08:24,296 --> 00:08:25,876 They tickle them... 59 00:08:27,716 --> 00:08:29,836 to make them release drops of honeydew... 60 00:08:34,264 --> 00:08:37,484 a sweet liquid aphids secrete when feeding on sap. 61 00:08:47,361 --> 00:08:51,241 But amongst the flock... there is a wolf. 62 00:08:56,245 --> 00:08:58,495 Ladybugs are aphid predators. 63 00:09:06,630 --> 00:09:09,970 The ants counterattack with powerful jaws. 64 00:09:14,304 --> 00:09:16,474 And a spray of formic acid. 65 00:09:34,241 --> 00:09:38,871 But there are some aphid killers even an army of ants can't beat. 66 00:09:47,713 --> 00:09:49,803 They will have to forage elsewhere. 67 00:09:57,264 --> 00:10:00,144 In the wild, hamsters are very territorial. 68 00:10:02,519 --> 00:10:06,359 But the lure of a lush backyard brings them closer together. 69 00:10:16,033 --> 00:10:17,243 A male. 70 00:10:23,373 --> 00:10:25,253 She does not want company. 71 00:10:30,380 --> 00:10:34,380 They may look harmless, but hamsters are vicious fighters. 72 00:10:39,223 --> 00:10:41,813 He's bigger and stronger... 73 00:10:47,523 --> 00:10:50,363 but seems to have more romantic intentions. 74 00:10:54,655 --> 00:10:57,365 The feelings are not mutual. 75 00:11:03,539 --> 00:11:04,959 Maybe some other time. 76 00:11:16,510 --> 00:11:20,760 As summer progresses, the focus turns from eating to mating. 77 00:11:29,022 --> 00:11:31,112 A female zebra jumping spider. 78 00:11:36,196 --> 00:11:38,816 She may only be the size of a grain of rice... 79 00:11:41,368 --> 00:11:42,698 but she's voracious. 80 00:11:53,839 --> 00:11:57,679 This male needs to be careful. She could easily kill him. 81 00:12:07,394 --> 00:12:09,444 He has to prove he's worthy as a mate. 82 00:12:14,902 --> 00:12:16,402 By dancing. 83 00:12:32,294 --> 00:12:33,384 The shuffle. 84 00:12:37,633 --> 00:12:38,633 The wave. 85 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:42,760 The side step. 86 00:12:44,681 --> 00:12:46,891 They all need to be just right. 87 00:12:57,152 --> 00:12:58,782 He's not the greatest dancer. 88 00:13:00,322 --> 00:13:03,532 But at least he's "staying alive." 89 00:13:09,831 --> 00:13:13,461 Midsummer. And things are heating up. 90 00:13:19,716 --> 00:13:21,546 The male hamster is back. 91 00:13:23,303 --> 00:13:25,513 His perseverance is paying off. 92 00:13:38,777 --> 00:13:40,987 The female has put down roots, 93 00:13:41,822 --> 00:13:46,162 making renovations to turn her burrow into a home. 94 00:13:52,875 --> 00:13:56,665 At this time of year, the garden is full of little homemakers. 95 00:14:18,317 --> 00:14:21,947 Mason bees need to find safe places to raise their young. 96 00:14:26,742 --> 00:14:27,912 For a single mother, 97 00:14:27,993 --> 00:14:32,003 a prefab snail shell is more convenient than building from scratch. 98 00:14:40,964 --> 00:14:43,264 After a thorough inspection... 99 00:14:44,593 --> 00:14:47,223 she lays a single egg inside the shell. 100 00:14:57,523 --> 00:14:59,153 There's just one problem. 101 00:15:05,822 --> 00:15:08,242 Starlings love snails. 102 00:15:12,579 --> 00:15:15,789 This could be an unfortunate case of mistaken identity. 103 00:15:36,562 --> 00:15:37,902 A close call. 104 00:15:40,107 --> 00:15:42,727 If her baby is to survive in this garden, 105 00:15:42,818 --> 00:15:45,238 she'll need to work on her home security. 106 00:15:48,407 --> 00:15:50,367 It won't emerge for another year. 107 00:15:52,536 --> 00:15:55,076 And she won't live long enough to protect it. 108 00:15:57,207 --> 00:15:59,747 So she's searching for building materials. 109 00:16:18,770 --> 00:16:23,190 Amazingly, she carries sticks 20 times her size 110 00:16:23,275 --> 00:16:25,025 to cover her nursery. 111 00:16:40,292 --> 00:16:43,382 Piece by piece, the shell is transformed... 112 00:16:51,929 --> 00:16:53,389 into a fortress. 113 00:17:01,688 --> 00:17:04,528 Although she won't be there to protect her baby, 114 00:17:04,608 --> 00:17:07,238 she's given it the best possible start. 115 00:17:14,660 --> 00:17:16,490 As humans prepare for bed, 116 00:17:16,954 --> 00:17:20,254 the garden comes alive with a new cast of creatures. 117 00:17:26,128 --> 00:17:29,548 Some make perilous journeys just to get there. 118 00:17:32,219 --> 00:17:35,719 A midwife toad on a dangerous mission. 119 00:17:36,890 --> 00:17:40,890 His partner has entrusted him with their precious eggs. 120 00:17:47,067 --> 00:17:50,447 She's wrapped them around his legs so he doesn't drop them. 121 00:18:02,457 --> 00:18:06,127 They're ready to hatch, so he needs to get them to water, fast. 122 00:18:09,882 --> 00:18:11,722 And he'll risk his life to do it. 123 00:18:27,316 --> 00:18:31,066 He's able to home in on the faintest scent of the garden pond. 124 00:18:34,239 --> 00:18:35,659 But he's not there yet. 125 00:18:44,166 --> 00:18:46,166 Hedgehogs will eat toads. 126 00:18:55,511 --> 00:18:57,721 But this one is craving something else. 127 00:19:02,059 --> 00:19:04,019 A marvel of the night. 128 00:19:11,360 --> 00:19:12,780 A leopard slug. 129 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:17,780 On hot, humid evenings, 130 00:19:17,866 --> 00:19:21,866 they emerge for one of nature's most extraordinary spectacles. 131 00:19:38,178 --> 00:19:41,808 Following the trail of another slug, it climbs. 132 00:19:57,489 --> 00:19:58,949 And when the two meet... 133 00:20:03,537 --> 00:20:04,657 they dance. 134 00:20:17,134 --> 00:20:20,264 Then, releasing their hold on the branch, 135 00:20:20,345 --> 00:20:23,175 they descend on a strand of slime. 136 00:20:27,436 --> 00:20:29,266 Well out of harm's way... 137 00:20:33,859 --> 00:20:35,489 they begin to mate. 138 00:21:02,221 --> 00:21:05,061 All over the garden, new lives are beginning. 139 00:21:09,603 --> 00:21:12,943 The midwife toad has finally found the pond. 140 00:21:15,317 --> 00:21:17,487 The same one he was born in. 141 00:21:30,832 --> 00:21:33,462 With natural pools now so scarce, 142 00:21:34,086 --> 00:21:37,206 garden ponds are a lifeline for tiny animals. 143 00:21:49,601 --> 00:21:52,811 A new chapter is also beginning for the hamster. 144 00:21:55,482 --> 00:21:58,532 The switch to garden life has clearly paid off. 145 00:22:06,869 --> 00:22:09,329 She's mother to seven little pups. 146 00:22:14,543 --> 00:22:17,383 Their eyes will be closed for the first two weeks. 147 00:22:19,965 --> 00:22:22,795 In that time, the babies double in size. 148 00:22:25,596 --> 00:22:28,596 To keep up, Mom needs to stay well fed. 149 00:22:30,684 --> 00:22:33,104 Nursing so many pups takes its toll. 150 00:22:40,110 --> 00:22:43,320 Luckily, the gardener's efforts are bearing fruit. 151 00:22:54,166 --> 00:22:59,126 But each time she ventures out, she risks her life. 152 00:23:14,228 --> 00:23:16,648 Best to make as few runs as possible. 153 00:23:18,315 --> 00:23:20,525 And do what hamsters do best. 154 00:23:23,570 --> 00:23:26,200 There's space for three meals' worth of food in those cheeks. 155 00:23:44,091 --> 00:23:46,721 But her mouth only opens so wide. 156 00:24:05,654 --> 00:24:08,284 By midsummer, the garden is growing fast. 157 00:24:20,836 --> 00:24:23,046 And so are the tiny animals that eat it. 158 00:24:30,804 --> 00:24:31,854 Just hatched, 159 00:24:31,930 --> 00:24:35,890 a puss moth larva is small enough to crawl through the eye of a needle. 160 00:24:41,023 --> 00:24:43,233 But this is one hungry caterpillar. 161 00:24:46,737 --> 00:24:49,277 In just three weeks, it grows... 162 00:24:51,825 --> 00:24:52,865 and grows... 163 00:24:55,495 --> 00:24:58,325 to a thousand times its original size. 164 00:25:03,712 --> 00:25:06,922 It's now, when the garden is in overdrive, 165 00:25:08,008 --> 00:25:10,178 that humans try to regain control. 166 00:25:16,558 --> 00:25:18,768 But nature has a way of fighting back. 167 00:25:25,234 --> 00:25:27,954 A squirt of formic acid usually does the trick. 168 00:25:32,282 --> 00:25:35,702 Many small creatures use chemical weapons for defense. 169 00:25:39,289 --> 00:25:42,289 But humans have weapons of mass destruction. 170 00:25:52,427 --> 00:25:55,807 For the ants still out on foraging duty... 171 00:26:03,522 --> 00:26:04,732 it's carnage. 172 00:26:37,264 --> 00:26:38,974 Despite heavy casualties, 173 00:26:40,267 --> 00:26:42,767 these ants won't abandon their wounded. 174 00:26:46,106 --> 00:26:49,776 They'll carry them all the way back to the colony. 175 00:26:54,865 --> 00:26:57,195 It won't be easy to find their way home. 176 00:26:59,953 --> 00:27:03,923 And now the grass is short, they've got no cover. 177 00:27:19,223 --> 00:27:23,443 Starlings like ants even more than snails. 178 00:27:29,107 --> 00:27:32,107 This time, using formic acid backfires. 179 00:27:35,072 --> 00:27:37,242 The starling actually encourages it. 180 00:27:37,824 --> 00:27:41,624 It helps condition feathers and protects against parasites. 181 00:27:47,376 --> 00:27:50,046 But preening on the open lawn is dangerous. 182 00:28:24,037 --> 00:28:25,867 A lucky break for the ants. 183 00:28:28,083 --> 00:28:32,633 There is just one last obstacle to cross before they reach home. 184 00:28:40,387 --> 00:28:42,007 With scorching sun. 185 00:28:45,058 --> 00:28:46,478 Shifting sands. 186 00:28:51,440 --> 00:28:53,280 And deadly ant lions. 187 00:28:56,111 --> 00:29:01,121 They dig traps and flick sand to stop their victims escaping. 188 00:29:12,044 --> 00:29:15,674 One brave ant risks her own life for her fallen comrade. 189 00:29:24,556 --> 00:29:26,636 This time, there's no saving her. 190 00:29:39,613 --> 00:29:44,243 But thanks to the ants' selfless nature, most of them make it home. 191 00:30:00,425 --> 00:30:04,845 Now four weeks old, the hamster pups are growing restless. 192 00:30:09,685 --> 00:30:11,595 It's time to explore the garden. 193 00:30:25,033 --> 00:30:28,453 Their mom has made sure they're starting off in a good place. 194 00:30:35,043 --> 00:30:36,713 A little green oasis... 195 00:30:38,046 --> 00:30:39,756 in an ever-changing world. 196 00:30:46,013 --> 00:30:47,603 It may not be perfect. 197 00:30:49,975 --> 00:30:51,095 But it's home. 198 00:30:56,190 --> 00:31:00,820 All too often, we think of the animals that share our gardens as pests. 199 00:31:02,654 --> 00:31:05,874 But stop and take a closer look. 200 00:31:06,909 --> 00:31:10,909 And you'll see a community of little wonders 201 00:31:10,996 --> 00:31:14,166 trying to make a home in our world. 202 00:31:23,717 --> 00:31:26,427 It's easy to forget what it's like to be small. 203 00:31:32,976 --> 00:31:34,436 But with a helping hand... 204 00:31:39,441 --> 00:31:40,821 even the tiny... 205 00:31:46,406 --> 00:31:48,526 can achieve great things.