wild kratts is made possible by announcer: get ready to let your imagination... run wild. abcmouse.com early learning academy. proud supporter of pbs kids and wild kratts. the corporation for public broadcasting and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. hey, it's the kratt brothers here. i'm chris. and i'm martin. and we're searching for-- over there! the monarch butterfly, one of the most amazing creatures around. and the reason they're so amazing? wait! oh, he's going this way! here's one! come back! whoa! (laughing) oh, he got away. milkweed.

hey, but butterfly might have gotten away, but if you're looking for monarch caterpillars, milkweed is the place to find them. martin, over here. oh. all right! oh, they're big fat ones. oh, yeah, look at them munching away. keep on growing buddy. we'll check on you later. chris: yes, it's happening. he's changing into a chrysalis. the caterpillar sheds his outer skin. and inside is the chrysalis. martin: and this is the chrysalis with the developing butterfly right inside. and over the next 14 days, an amazing transformation takes place. and they emerge as... butterflies. you're looking good, buddy. oh, now, monarch butterflies aren't just your ordinary beautiful butterfly. they are long-distance voyagers. monarchs are the only butterflies in the world to take a miraculous 3,000-mile journey. imagine if we could be a monarch.

then we'd be able to join the most incredible journey in the insect world. what if? what if? ♪ on adventure with the coolest creatures ♪ ♪ from the oceans to the trees ♪ ♪ the brothers kratt are going places you never get to see ♪ ♪ hanging with their creature friends ♪ ♪ get ready, it's the hour ♪ ♪ we're gonna save some animals today with ♪ ♪ creature power ♪ gonna go wild, wild kratts ♪ gonna go wild, wild, wild kratts ♪ ♪ gonna go wild, wild kratts ♪ gonna go wild, wild, wild ♪ cheetah speed and lizard glide ♪ ♪ falcon flight and lion pride ♪ ♪ gonna go wild, wild kratts ♪ gonna go wild, wild, wild kratts ♪ ♪ gonna go wild, wild kratts ♪ gonna go wild, wild, wild kratts ♪ ♪ go wild, wild, wild kratts there's got to be one around here somewhere.

what about this one? hm, that looks like a swallowtail caterpillar. yup, tiger swallowtail. starts as a caterpillar that looks like this. turns into a butterfly that looks like this. aviva: beautiful. so if we're going to find a monarch caterpillar, tell me what they look like. well, they're black with white and yellow stripes like-- kind of like that, just not so blue. he's got the markings of a monarch. he's got the feet of a monarch caterpillar. and he's got the face of-- martin? martin? hey, guys. i found a monarch caterpillar. meet maxilla! cool, my caterpillar programming works for monarchs too. oh, yeah, but these guys, they don't have much in the way of powers except the power to eat milkweed. oh, she's a milkweed munching machine. chris: yeah, but just wait till she becomes a butterfly. that's when she'll show off her power

to take the longest, most incredible journey of any insect in north america, 3,000 miles to mexico. aviva: 3,000 miles? no way. how can a tiny little butterfly make it that far? that would be like someone our size-- martin: traveling all the way around the world two times under our own power, no planes, cars, nothing. get out! no way i'm going to believe that. okay, we'll, prove it. we'll follow one butterfly on the entire voyage side by side with one of the greatest insect travelers in the world. that would be maxilla here, a.k.a. captain maxilla. we'll go with her when she hatches. okay, big talkers. koki, how much time does that give me to make a butterfly adventure vehicle? let's see. well, maxilla already hatched from the egg. and judging from her size, has been a growing caterpillar for about 11 days, which means she's about to become a chrysalis for about 10 days until she emerges

transformed into a butterfly. right on, koki. maxilla's changing into chrysalis mode right now. i better get moving. mexico, here we come! hey, wait up! ah! oof! i told you i need something really divine for this fashion season. what else do you have? you like it? no, i don't like. what else do you have? no, too cold. next. oh. hey. a worm? you expect me to do something with a worm? donita donata makes living fashions, not magic. make it disappear! keep looking.

day 10, monarch-o-rama! (cheering) cool! awesome! monarchs, here we come! right on time, maxilla, 10 days. wow. jimmy z: hate to burst everybody's chrysalis, but her wings are all shriveled up. not for long, jimmy z. get those wing fluids pumping, maxilla! okay, all set. where's the butterfly vehicle? wait, there's a big mistake. she's never even flown in her life, and she's going to fly all the way to mexico on those flimsy wings? oh, yeah, but don't worry. we'll help her if she needs it. martin, she knows how to pull this off better than we do. nature's got know-how. i'm just hoping we can keep up. well, this will help. ta-da, the butterflier xt! it's tiny. it's butterfly size. you don't want an advantage, do you? uh, yeah, i'll take an advantage. hey, if the butterflies can do it, so can we!

ready, martin? martin: oh, yeah! okay, tag ready. she's #12. don't lose her. martin: we won't. all systems go. mission monarch ready for takeoff. t minus 3 seconds and counting. aviva: three, two, one, lift-off! got to webcast this action. (gasping) martin: whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! adios! bon voyage! martin: whoa! good luck! (panting) oh, 10 days and still no fashion breakthrough. you need a break? i need a break. no, no, no, not until i have what i'm looking for. i didn't become the #1 live-animal fashion designer by giving up! pass me the sun screen.

what is that? it's guh-guh-gorgeous with a capital "guh"! i can't believe-- oh, it's a butterfly! oh, yes, live hair adornments. butterfly barrettes! i want you! come back here! catch it, dabio! catch it! catch them all! uh, oh-oh. donita: get them! martin: whoa, smooth it out, chris. i never get carsick but this is ridiculous. i've got the zig down. now i just have to get the zag. (gasping) martin: whoa, swallow attack! oh, yeah, it's the erratic flight pattern defense. fly all zigzaggy and it's harder for a predator to catch you. that's when zigzags come in handy.

well, i hope you got it down now, dude, because that blue bomber just circled around on your left! got it! zigging now! whoa! whoa! yeah! can't catch us! chris, on the right! uh-oh, this calls for the zag. not the zag. whoa! yes, nailed it. whoo-hoo! bye-bye, tree swallow. (both gasping) ow. hello, windshield. where's maxilla? oh, she's fine. us, not so good. donita: there's one! uh-oh! uh-oh! capture it. get me that butterfly! i'll get you, butterfly. whoa! uh-oh, our wings are pretty messed up. yeah, but at least it still flies. let's wing it! oof!

they're just little bugs! are you telling me you can't catch bugs? chris: okay, now we know that cars are like predators to the migrating monarch. they're dangerous. and donita, she's after these butterflies too. aviva: don't worry about donita. we'll keep an eye on her. oh, and, guys, watch your energy. don't forget to refuel. (beeping) uh-oh. uh-oh. both: now she tells us! (groaning) this is going well so far. couldn't be better. day 3 of mission monarch and things are off to a shaky start. hey, nice day for flying. have you seen maxilla, #12? thirsty? yeah, we're filling up our tank too. wow, now, that's a cool straw! chris: built in and portable. just roll it out and have a drink of sweet nectar.

nice touch, aviva. just like a butterfly's proboscis. here's some untapped nectar, martin. yup, sugary sweet. the perfect energy food for a butterfly. fill her up. i can't believe we lost maxilla. oh, we got to find her so we can help her if she gets into trouble. martin, we're just barely surviving here. maxilla's got nature's know-how. i'm sure she's doing way better than we are right now. you think so? i know so! look! (gasping) we can't be going that way. okay, we're going that way. yikes. day 14 of mission monarch. the brothers have just left a wild kratts teamer's butterfly garden. and are now attempting to cross the great lakes with the monarchs. they'll now be crossing 100 miles of water in a single flight. jimmy z: no, no, no. they can't do it. it's impossible. you're freaking me out. jimmy, it's okay.

i put extra energy capacity in the butterflier. just like a butterfly, they'll store fat in this part of their body, the abdomen. that should give them just enough energy to make it across. as long as the weather holds. (jimmy z moaning) he's fainted again. better get the pizza. this windstorm came out of nowhere. we're not going anywhere. we're too light. i know. we're running out of energy fast. look. is that--? that's maxilla! hah, #12 with the curled antenna. she's going down and so are we. when you're in trouble, nature's know-how can pull you through. (horn blaring) chris: hey, a boat. martin: whoa, everybody's waiting out the windstorm. yeah, a butterfly only weighs about as much as three tissues. so when it's windy or rainy, they just have to sit tight. hah, i wonder who the nice people are that are letting us all rest on their boat.

donita: butterflies, get them! no free rides today! catch those barrettes, all of them! (dabio grunting) (growling) (groaning) chris: wind levels are down. ready for takeoff. hurry, dude. here comes dabio! whoa! whoa! (both screaming) (both panting) martin: ooh, nice day for a swim. i will get those butterfly barrettes if i have to go to the end of the earth to do it! mission monarch day 36: the cold weather is on its way up here. all the milkweed plants that the monarch caterpillars need to eat are dying. with no food and cool weather on its way, it's no wonder the monarchs headed down to warmer weather. chris, martin and maxilla have made it 1,000 miles and counting. we've just received word from a creature teamer that they made it to georgia, about 2/3 of the way to mexico.

hey, want to see a loop-the-loop? whoa! martin: yeah, maxilla, we're doing about 120 miles a day, pretty good pace. i'd say it'll be smooth sailing from here. maxilla, she's gone. gone? where did she go? there! oh, no! you're right, martin! now she does need our help! hang on, maxilla. i'll get you out! martin, behind you! (gasping) uh-oh, i'm too late. nice spider. okay, we're just passing through. whoa! (metal clanging) got you, bro. martin: i can't believe it. why did the spider cut her loose? why did he let her go? monarchs taste bad. yeah, i'll stick to hotdogs. no, really, it says right here that they're poisonous.

look at this. all it takes is for a predator to try eating a monarch once, and he gets so sick, that he'll never eat another one as long as he lives. (shrieking) (gulping) so that's why the spider didn't eat maxilla. he knows monarchs are poisonous. wow, it really helps to have a few tricks like that when you're on a 3,000 mile journey over forests, through cities, until after 2,000 miles, the butterflies have to pass through this thin strip of land to their final destination, mexico. donita: ah, yes, dabio, we're going to mexico. (laughing maniacally) where's that? chris: we must be getting close. they're all going into that forest. martin: whoa, we have arrived. amazing. the secret winter hideout of the monarch butterflies.

all the monarchs from across eastern north america right here in this tiny forest. maxilla, i knew you could do it. 3,000 miles on 4 inch wings. and the amazing thing is, you've never even been here before. yeah, when you started the trip, you just emerged from you chrysalis. nobody knows how you guys find your way here but you do. that's what i call nature's know-how. hey, the butterflies are settling down. everyone's finding a place in the trees. of course. it's getting colder. it's hibernation time! aviva: and it's even colder up here, chris. we've got the first snowstorm of the season. this must be why they left in the first place. right, guys? guys? they couldn't survive up there. but here they can huddle together through the winter and so are we, butterfly style. (yawning) butterfly blankey. (chuckling)

migrators turned hibernators. well, if they hang out with the sleeping butterflies for four months, it will give me time to work on butterfly programming for the creature power suits. sweet dreams. (snoring) this isn't mexico! (bird screeching) (snoring) this isn't mexico! huh? (snorting) (snoring) this isn't mexico! ah. (snoring) finally, mexico. it took me four months, but it was worth the wait. dabio, hurry up! (screaming) (donita laughing maniacally) (donita laughing maniacally)

stop! no, leave them alone! back off! wait, who are we talking to? whoa, sorry. i just had a nightmare. i dreamt donita was here taking branch-fulls of butterflies. chris, i don't think that was a dream. look! oh, no. oh, you're just trying to get a good four-month sleep, and donita snatches you just as you're about to wake up and head home. it's true. look. everyone's waking up. oh, morning, maxilla. glad you're here. come in, tortuga hq. oh, hello, sleeping beauties. welcome to spring. aviva, where's donita? i don't know. i've been so busy adding butterfly programming to the suits. last report, she was wandering around the arctic. she'll never find that secret forest. chris: well, this is never. and the secret's out. oh, no. you guys use your suits. they're done. we're on our way. we'll find her. jimmy, teleport! zappy.

i got it. i got it. activate! activate! (whimpering) not caterpillar mode! ah, that's better-fly. i mean, butterfly! chris? oh, no. chrysalis mode. butterfly power! both: to the creature rescue! (panting) donita: hurry up, dabio. i'm tired of delays. i need to get these butterflies back to the mansion. (panting) ugh, greasy. hey, looking good. donita: dabio! (gasping) (panting) ah, yes, beautiful barrettes. soon everyone will be wearing them. what? what--? what is happening to my butterflies? they're dying! no, no, no, no! stop dying! i order you to stop dying right now!

maxilla, wake up. are you okay? wake up. i'll do a medical check. (beeping) oh, no. i think she's-- she's dying. no, maxilla, don't. you can't do that. martin, over here. she laid an egg. and look. so has she. a new generation of monarchs is on the way. in just four days, these monarch eggs will hatch into tiny caterpillars and start the whole lifecycle over again. lay eggs and then die. i know. it's just how life is for lots of insects. yeah, but she lived a super-long life, bro. four months, 3,000 miles. maxilla saw more of the world than most people do. yeah, all that and she never made it back home. hey, what if she's not supposed to make it home?

yeah, maybe he's supposed to keep the journey going! yes, nature's got know-how. they lay eggs so the babies can continue the journey home. martin, chris, i found donita. i think she's killing all the butterflies. it's not donita. the butterflies are just doing their natural butterfly thing. it's their lifecycle. but we've got to rescue them so they can lay eggs and keep that lifecycle going! and i've got a plan that might work. do not die on me now. i need living butterfly barrettes. do you hear me?! living! dabio: at least they're easier to catch now. not as easy as you are. (grunting) what are you doing? let me out of here! you kept trying to net these monarchs. now it's your turn. but i still have the butterflies. how are you going to get them? like this. both: milkweed, anyone? go lay your eggs, beautiful butterflies!

follow us! we know of a great milkweed patch! no, no, no, get back here with my butterflies! stop! (dabio screaming) (donita groaning) donita: that hurt. ow! ow! (both groaning) (donita screaming) (both groaning) that hurt! whose bad idea were butterfly barrettes anyway? don't answer that. ah, the thing every monarch needs to lay its eggs, a milkweed patch. and when they hatch, those milkweed-eating caterpillars of yours will have a feast! wow, the lifecycle of the migrating monarch is saved. so let me get this straight, guys. the butterflies that live during the fall migrate 3,000 miles to mexico to escape the cold. and when they get to their secret forest, they hibernate.

chris: then they wake up in the spring just as the milkweed is starting to grow back. martin: but they don't make it all the way home. it's their sons and daughters who will finish the trip. they lay eggs before they die that will hatch into caterpillars. the caterpillar eats and eats, forms a chrysalis and finally becomes a butterfly. the sons and daughters of those original butterflies will continue the journey home. that is one incredible life story. the new generation of monarchs is here. safe and sound and heading north. yay! look at them go! yay! come on, maxilla jr. you're doing great. ah, your mom would be proud. with their own creature know-how and a little help from friends like us, little creatures can do amazing things. martin: woohoo! chris: woohoo! (martin laughing) so monarch butterflies have what it takes

to make one of the greatest migrations in the creature world. right now is the beginning of fall. and the monarch migration is underway. and we're here at an important pit-stop place for migrating monarchs. why is it so important? that's why! this huge body of water is what the monarch butterflies have to cross, lake erie, 100 miles across. chris: that group of monarchs has spent the night roosting in the trees. they're resting up for their journey across the lake. and as the sun warms up their bodies, they begin to move and work their muscles. and one by one, they take off. the butterflies also fuel up here. they drink nectar from the flowers to get the energy they need to make it across the lake. get a good drink. chris: oh, there he goes! all right! before they cross, they'll check the wind.

if it's blowing south, it will help them across the lake. there he goes. he's ready. good luck! with the forests in mexico being cut down and more and more habitat along the way being destroyed, the monarchs could use a lot of help from us. one thing you can do is plant a butterfly garden, your own pit-stop place for migrating monarchs. monarchs love to fuel up on butterfly bush, and sedum. you can also help monarchs by helping scientists track their migration. tag a monarch. that way scientists can track an individual monarch's journey. martin: this monarch's id is nec 650. then when you tag the monarch, hold it gently by the leading edge of its wings and put the little tiny tag right on this part of the lower wing. there, the tag is light and won't bother the monarch when she's flying.

and if this monarch makes it all the way down to mexico, a scientist may find her, and, because of the tag, know exactly where she was released and when. chris: you're ready to fly? there he goes. have a good trip! bon voyage! monarch butterflies, little creatures that can do big things. we'll see you on the creature trail. did you know that a rattlesnake's rattle is made of special scales? and these scales are made of carotene, the same thing our finger nails are made of. wow. look at that rattle. (rattling) specialized scales that rattle as a warning call, saying, "back off, or i'll strike." the eastern diamond-backed rattlesnake is one big snake. all right, martin, we got a mystery animal right behind you. who do you think it it?

okay. shh. i hear panting. could it be a mammal? yes, it's a mammal. all right. can you give me a colour clue? red. red? a red mammal. that narrows it down-- does it have big hind legs? oh, yeah! can it jump like crazy? oh, yeah. one of the best. is it a red kangaroo? you got it! the red kangaroo of australia. oh, yeah! announcer: have you heard the news? something's cooking! "arthur's" on pbs kids go! what? that's a great idea! now we can party all night! watch "arthur" weekdays on pbs kids go! or watch anytime you want at pbskidsgo.org. wild kratts is made possible by announcer: at abcmouse.com, we believe in letting imagination run wild. abcmouse.com early learning academy. proud supporter of pbs kids and wild kratts.

the corporation for public broadcasting and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. ♪ to find out more about cool animals and collect your own wild kratts creature powers, go the wild kratts website. at pbskidsgo.org. both: we'll see you there!

i'm miss rosa from pbs kids with martha ... martha: from martha speaks. rosa: it's easy to help your kids learn anytime, anywhere. right, martha? martha: right. like at the doctor's office. mom: what rhymes with toy? kid: boy. martha: or when you're walking the dog. mom: what letter does that sign start with? girl: s! rosa: visit pbskids.org/read for more tips and free games like these that make it fun for your child to learn to read. martha: so remember... martha and rosa: anytime is learning time.