"the electric company" is brought to you by... find your voice and share it american greetings proud sponsor of "the electric company." agreement from the u.s. department of education's ready to learn grant, and viewers like you, thank you. ] - ohh... - ha ha ha! - please tell the duchess we've arrived, love. off with you, then. - [sighs] - all right. she's gone. - ha ha ha! - hey, look, boss-- free bananas. - would you stop thinking about your stomach, mugsy? we've got a job to do. now, don't forget when i dance with the duchess

you sneak upstairs and nab that fancy pearl necklace. got it? - got it. - hey, you chowderhead, you can't just throw your banana peels on the floor. this is a classy joint. [rip] now look what you did. my pants ripped. good thing i always travel with a needle and thread. now sew up my pants. you do know how to sew. - i sew so-so. - so? sew. - duchess? - oh! duchess. - baron. oh! whoa! whoop! - oh, duchess, my dear you are a vision. may i have the next dance? - dear m-- - ha ha ha! - dear me, it's as if-- - ha ha ha! ha ha ha! - sorry. what's the line. - really? she doesn't know her lines. how could i work like this? - danny. danny. ok. lights, please. everyone take 5. lis, you ok? - yeah. i just you know-- i'm sorry.

you know, i just got-- - trouble with your lines duchess? - leave me alone, annie. you know, i just heard della laughing, and it kind of threw me. - oh, i understand if you're a little nervous, lisa. - thanks, annie. - of course, if one little person throws you then what's gonna happen on opening night when we do the whole play performing in front of a sold-out crowd, every single seat filled with people-- staring, waiting, judging? - really? all the seats are sold? - all of them. - annie can you give us a minute, please? - um... - ok. hey, come over here. are you ok? - hector? - uh-huh? - i shouldn't play this part. - what are you talking about? what's the matter? it's ok. you messed up one line. that's fine. it happens. - no. no, no, no, no. you're better off without me... really. - lisa...

- lisa... - lisa... can i get a spotlight? hey, you guys! ♪ c'mon yeah! ♪ ♪ feel the power! ♪ ♪ feel the power! ♪ ♪ feel the power! ♪ ♪ yo! and plug it in! ♪ ♪ it's electric... electric company! ♪ ♪ it's electric... electric company! ♪ ♪ it's electric... electric company! ♪ ♪ it's electric... electric company! ♪ ♪ the power we perfected is electrically connected, ♪ ♪ so use it as directed and expect to be respected. ♪ ♪ turn it on and you will see ♪ ♪ that you belong in the company! ♪ ♪ feel the power! ♪ ♪ feel the power! ♪ ♪ feel the power! ♪ ♪ yo! and plug it in! ♪ ♪ plug it in, everybody! ♪ ♪ electric company! ♪ ♪ electric company! ♪ ♪ electric company! ♪ ♪ electric company! ♪

or. i'm just so nervous about performing in front of a crowd. - i still don't know what you're nervous about. you've been really, really really great in rehearsal. you've been brilliant! - ha! when there's no audience but when i think of all those people watching me, ach my mind just goes blank. - don't you remember your lines by heart? didn't you memorize them? - yeah. i memorized them weeks ago. - you can't let a few jitters get in the way of your performance. - is there anything we can do to help you? - hire a new actress? - that's a great idea. who could we get? - can it, annie, all right? - lisa, come on. i cast you in this part because you are perfect for it. - hmm. - hey, i have an idea. as stage manager, i have the script with me backstage. - yeah? - so, if at any point lisa forget her lines, i can just...show them to you.

- you mean feed me the lines as i perform? - yeah. that way, you don't have to worry about memorizing. they'll be right there when you need them. - all right. sounds like a plan to me. come on. let's go. the show must go on. - ok. - judging. - the show must go on. - bay, bee, boh, boo, ca, cay, cuee, coh, coo, da, day, dee, doh, doo, ba, bay, bee, boh, boo - why, hello there, danny. i was just stopping by to talk about your performance. - my performance? what about it? - how it's brilliant, for one. - oh, well i wouldn't say brilliant. - no? huh. - well, it's more than brilliant. i'm the smartest and the most gifted, i mean, pretty much a genius, so... - oh, a true genius who deserves to be taken seriously. too bad you won't be. - what's that supposed to mean?

- oh, if lisa forgets to say her lines, that mean you never get to say yours, lines you've worked so hard to memorize, to master. she will ruin your brilliant performance. - you have a point. - oh, i have more than a point sir danny. i have a plan. - hey, yo, short "i." - me? - come on. raise your fist up. come on. raise your fist up. come on. raise your fist up. come on. raise your fist. ♪ it's time for y'all to put your fist in the sky ♪ ♪ and we're gonna list all the different reasons why ♪ ♪ short "i" is still the letter that will bring you a smile ♪ ♪ and help you get your fill ♪ ♪ 'cause without that iii, we never could win ♪ ♪ we'd simply have a w-n ♪

♪ and that wouldn't get us to the finish, my friend ♪ - ♪ aw, to the finish, my friend ♪ come on. raise your fist up. come on. raise your fist. come on. raise your fist up. come on. raise your fist. - raise your fist real fast. - [beatboxing] - [imitating distorted electric guitar]

- [imitates trumpet] ha ha ha! music, man. [ding] ♪ iii, iii ♪ - make a wish. what'd you wish for? - i can't tell you. - aww. - it won't come true, then. [buzzer] - second grade, i took a test. the next day, mrs. cornbinder hands back my test,

and do you know what was on it? the word "jymnasium" and a big, red "x," and so i said, "mrs. cornbinder, what is wrong with this word?" and do you know what she said? she said, "oh, well, danny, "gymnasium" is not spelled with a "j." it's spelled with a "g." i said, "ha ha! a "g"? "but a "g" makes a ggg sound, "like in "good" or "big" or "alligator." "this word should be "guimnasium," and do you know what she said? she said, "well, sometimes, danny, "g" can make a jjj sound, "usually when it comes before an "e" or an "i" or a "y" "in words like "page" or "ginger" or "energy." i actually kind of liked mrs. cornbinder.

- so, what's happened so far? "i'm giving a great performance. it's so great, it's brilliant." "i'm more than brilliant. i'm a genius." "we're both geniuses." "so am i. wait. what's my line?" "ugh!" "cut. hey, you guys!" "i can't remember my lines. how will i perform in this play?" "i have a really great idea. "actually, it's better than great. it's a brilliant idea. i can help you from off stage." "you're a genius. with your help, i can perform." "we'll see about that. oh, danny..." [rip] - now look what you did. my pants ripped. good thing i always travel with a needle and thread. now sew up my pants. - ha ha ha! - you do know who to sew. - i sew so-so. - so? sew. - duchess? - duchess.

- baron! whoo! whoop! oh! - duchess, my dear, you are a vision. may i have the next dance? - dear me, it's as if-- it's as if--as if-- as if--if-- as if i had two felt teef. [stomp] i mean, two left feet. ah. - here. let us help you up, my dear. - oh, what a gentleman. baron, you are-- you are tar food ink. - i beg your pardon. - i mean, rat kin fodo. - all right. that's enough. - i mean...oh, far too kind. the line is, "far too kind." - no. it's too late. the scene is ruined. - lights, please. thank you, fernando.

- look at her. she is a mess. - he's right. i am. - but i thought jess was feeding you the lines from off stage. - i was, but i don't understand. - she's obviously such a nervous wreck, she can't even read the lines jessica is giving to her. - as an artist i simply can't work under these conditions. look. if lisa can't memorize her lines, i suggest we find somebody else who can. - like who? - oh, that's impossible. the person would have to know all the lines. - you know all the lines. - true... but the person would have to fit the costume. - you fit the costume. - true... but the person would have to be a brilliant actress-- a genius, really-- and very, very pretty. - danny! - oh! right. i guess you're sort of like that. i'd like to nominate annie scrambler. - but what about lisa? - ah. she can play my role, the role of

the wordless maid. i say we switch. - you mean, play the maid. - that part doesn't have any lines. - well, there's nothing for her to memorize and there's nothing for her to ruin and i refuse to let little miss forgets her lines make a fool out of a genius like me. if she doesn't quit, i will. - quit? danny, you can't quit. you're the leading man. if you quit now, we might as well call off the whole show. - ah! - call it off? but, hector, you've been dying to direct this play. - we have an audience coming. - we're just gonna give up? - guys, it doesn't take a genius to figure this out. you give annie the part of the duchess. - give annie the part? i don't know, lisa. are you sure about that? - i think it's a great idea! ah... yes.

- ♪ "g," it's a wonderful sound ♪ ♪ it's a wonderful letter ♪ ♪ it allows me to get some gum ♪ ♪ when you're gone visiting the goblin down the street ♪ - ♪ oh, "g" ♪ - ♪ i love my bug that i captured in a mug ♪ ♪ right next to that wonderful jug ♪ ♪ ooh, yeah, i'm feeling so guentle ♪ ♪ no, wait ♪ ♪ that's not the way you say it ♪ ♪ i believe it's "gentle" ♪ ♪ yeah ♪ ♪ oh, like gentle sounds like a huge gem ♪ ♪ a giraffe, giant, energy ♪ ♪ and your favorite dance in your gym ♪ - ♪ oh, i love the soft "g" ♪ - ♪ jjj ♪ - ♪ or the hard "g" ♪ - ♪ ggg ♪

- ♪ it's all "g" to me ♪ - i love to try to do this and sing at the same time. i see two gs in there, and there is no "e," "i," or "y" coming after either of them so they must make the ggg sound. oh, let's push that "g" and "l" together. then i see the i-n-g, which i know is "ing." look. i'll do it right now. [gargling and humming] - ♪ when you see a "g" in a word ♪ ♪ before "e," "y," or "i" ♪ ♪ it make a sound like a "j" ♪ ♪ and that's a soft "g" ♪ ♪ like "page," "gym," or "giant" ♪ ♪ oh, that's a soft "g" ♪ ♪ that's a soft "g" ♪ ♪ when you see a "g" in a word ♪

♪ before "e," "y," or "i" ♪ ♪ it make a sound like a "j" ♪ ♪ and that's a soft "g" ♪ ♪ oh, that's a soft "g" ♪ - ah-choo! you have a precious gem to give me. you think i'm a genius. - next time, warn somebody when you're going to sneeze. gah-choo! hey, i'm mark ecko. i'm an artist. i've always had a ton of energy. as a kid, i couldn't even sit still. i drew and painted on everything, and i still do.

it's like a ball bouncing around inside of me from my head to my toes and the only way to get it out is to get it out. it's the spark that makes me go. where do you put your energy? - hello, and welcome to "skelekerpiece theatre." i am your host della troderagnerherd-rickenfircken and i proudly present you the electric players production of "the world is my oyster." here we are backstage with one of the stars of the play-- miss annie scrambler. say hello, annie. - oh. excuse me? - say hello, annie. - exactly who am i saying hello to? - oh, i happened to catch you guys rehearsing and i thought i'd share the play with all the skelekians back home. - oh. you mean, you're whole planet will be watching this? - they're watching now on an intergalactic closed circuit. i am broadcasting the show live. - live? - everybody freeze.

nobody move a muscle till i find my monocle. - exactly how many skelekians are we talking about? - i don't know. a billion? - really? - no. just kidding. - ha ha ha. hysterical. so it's not a billion. - no. it's 16 million tops. - ha ha! see, it was in my pocket the whole time. ha ha ha! now i can act. carry on. - 16 million eyes will be watching? - well, figure two eyes per skeleki, and that's more like 32 million. - all right. places, everybody! places! - ha! better grab a seat. catch you after the show. knock them dead. ha ha! - uh...i-- i'm ok. i'm good. no. i'm good. nobody-- nobody panic. it's gonna be fine. annie, get it together. just get it together. you can do this. [applause and cheering] [tack piano playing]

- ohh... - please tell the duchess we've arrived, love. off with you, then. all right. she's gone. [laughter] - you don't look so good. - della is broadcasting the show live to 16 million skelekians as we speak. a sold-out crowd is one thing but this-- what if everyone on that planet thinks i stink? - you got a few people on this planet that think so. - you can't think about that right now. - but it all i can think about. if i knew it was this much pressure i never would've scrambled the lines jessica gave you. - scrambled lines? wait a second. - shh. - duchess? - duchess. - did you scramble my lines? i will deal with you later. this is your big entrance. don't blow it. - oh, i'm not making any kind of entrance, not now. - duchess? - ahem. i said, "duchess."

- annie, if you don't go out there right now you will ruin the show. - it's your part. you do it. - no. - you do it. - no. - you do it. - no. - you do it. - duchess? - duchess. [guitar playing] - ♪ i've got a bad case of stage fright ♪ ♪ i'm doubting myself and i just don't feel right ♪ ♪ letting everyone down ♪ ♪ helpless, i stare at the ground ♪ ♪ with nothing to say ♪ ♪ why's this happening today? ♪ ♪ if i could only break free ♪ ♪ oh, of what is bothering me ♪ ♪ everybody's watching me ♪

♪ and i don't want to let them down ♪ ♪ oh, no ♪ ♪ but i can do something, i got to do something ♪ ♪ to turn this situation around ♪ ♪ i got to follow through see it through to the end ♪ ♪ follow through be there for my friends ♪ ♪ i can still do my part 'cause i know in my heart ♪ ♪ if i can do the best that i can do ♪ ♪ i'll follow through ♪ ♪ see it through to the end ♪ ♪ follow, follow through ♪ ♪ i'll follow through ♪ - duchess. - baron. - duchess? - baron. ooh! whoop!

- oh, duchess, my dear you are a vision. may i have the next dance? - dear me, it's as if i had two left feet. - here. let us help you up my dear. - oh, what a gentleman. baron, you are far too kind. - why, thank you. now, may i have the next dance? - baron, i never dance with a man with torn pants. [laughter and applause] baron, baron, baron. - [beatboxing] - twirling. - twirling. [beatboxing]

- what's the game today? - i don't know. - what are you doing? - "doing"! good one. how about "swinging"? - oh, that's good. that's two ings in "swinging." - you are the king of "ing." - bring me my crown. - ♪ i'm singing to the king ♪ - kiss my ring. - that's not a ring. that's a big ball of string. - yeah. i'm not kissing that thing. - so, what are you doing? - i'm making an ending. [all laugh] - oh... - [beatboxing]

- i'm special agent jack bowser. oh, this is just grape-- i mean, great. this place is about the explode but i can't crack the code to get out. help me read this. [buzzer] whoo hoo! - arthur walters was a regular kid. then one day, something astonishing happened. he was suddenly a genius.

- mom, something astonishing happened. i became really smart. i'm brilliant. - he thought that the change would be permanent that he would be brilliant forever. - how's the formula to save the world coming along, arthur? - pretty darn well madam president. - but the change was only temporary. - turns out, i'm not a genius anymore. - well, this looks brilliant but what does it all mean? - see it while it lasts. - "and, of course, the highlight of this winning production of "the world is my oyster" was the brilliant performance of lisa as the duchess. - ok, ok. look, you guys. you made me really, really proud especially you, lisa. you saved the show. - "brilliant performance." what about me? what about sir danny rebus? i'm the one who's a genius around here. - oh, danny, they said some really good things about you. - good? i was great. - they didn't say anything about

me. - oh, no. they did too. oh no, they didn't. - let me see that. ah ahem, yes. "annie scrambler was forgettable as the wordless maid." - that must hurt. - oh! oh! oh! - ♪ the time is now, the day is here ♪ ♪ the rhythm that you're feelin' ♪ ♪ the music in your ear ♪ ♪ the charge is electric and all you got to do is ♪ ♪ plug it in ♪ - ♪ ah-ppp ♪ - ♪ p-plug it in ♪ - ♪ that's what we do, we're the electric company ♪ ♪ inviting all of you to all the possibilities ♪ ♪ learning to write and learning to read ♪ ♪ we have a good time while we plant the seeds ♪ ♪ and once you get it you have to share it ♪ ♪ discovering your power ♪ ♪ you own it, you wear it ♪ ♪ proud and you shout it out loud! ♪ ♪ electric company ♪ ♪ is in town ♪ - ♪ oh! ♪ this is when people have different ideas about the same thing... all right,

let's sound it out... start with the "d." d...i...s...dis...a...gr. then it ends with the double "e" which makes the "ee" sound. so, it's dis...a...gr...ee... disagree! you don't disagree with me, do you? announcer: your pbs kids go! friends are ready for anything. ready to fight a little crime? oh, hi! this is a pretty big deal, huh? presto! announcer: and now they're ready for you weekdays on pbs kids go! or anytime you want at pbskidsgo.org. "the electric company" is brought to you by... find your voice and share it american greetings proud sponsor of "the electric company."

agreement from the u.s. department of education's ready to learn grant, and viewers like you, thank you. want to know more about me and the rest of the cast? just go online to pbskidsgo.org: we have behind the scenes, entire episodes, and loads of brand-new games all the time. but don't just take my word for it....go! check it out for yourself. you do it. (laughter) bandini big button. what? bandini big button? whoa, that's amazing! (laughter)

kratts is made possible by the corporation for public broadcasting and by contributions to your pbs station from viewers like you. thank you. ♪ wild kratts ♪ chris: we're here in eastern africa, on the savannah grasslands. hey, it's us the kratt brothers. i'm chris. i'm martin. the african savannah is full of creatures: predator and prey predators who eat other creatures-- and prey, who get eaten if they don't defend themselves, like impala: prey. lions: predator. warthog: prey. leopards: predator. termites: prey. look! termites! this is a termite mound, home of the termite. and believe it or not, the mound you're seeing is really just the tip of the termite nest. most of it is underground where there's a massive system of chambers and tunnels, and millions and millions of termites. over here! a predator

bust into this part of the mound and exposed some termites. see them? now they're coming out to investigate what happened. yeah, termites are a favorite prey for lots of creatures out here: bat-eared foxes, aardvarks aardwolves, frogs and more. but termites have some pretty cool defenses to deal with them. hello in there! wow, look at all these termites. how many are in this mound? check it out. those are the soldiers with the huge heads and massive biting jaws. they protect the colony from intruders. oh, oh, oh, he's a tough guy. these are the workers with the small heads. they build the fortress, collect the food and take care of the young. imagine if we had termite power and could join the colony. to experience the predator-prey relationship

of termites and tongues. both: 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 ♪ woo-hoo! wa-hoo! oh yeah, we've

got six and building fast. going in for number seven. (grunting) nervilia flower! ♪ whoa, got it! woo! warthog hair! that's number eight. acacia fruit, number nine. (beeping) huh? chris! uh oh. whoa! (grunting) oh, hi. why does she always call us right in the middle of an epic stunt? oops. sorry. but you guys are supposed to be collecting smells not doing stunts. we're doing both. we've got nine new smells. even warthog musk! but

aviva, don't you have enough smells by now? no, we don't. well, we do have 823 smells already including grass, honey badger musk and butterfly pheromone. it's a start. but if i'm going to make a smell-detect-orama i need to get a sample of as many smells as possible. bring the ones you have back here, then you can go look for more. right away! at your service. show-offs. koki, can you give me a hand rearranging these canisters. we'll move the grass smell solution over with the other plants. ugh, why'd you make so much of this? whoa! whoa! (grunting) oops. (sniffing) now we smell like savannah grass. oh, great, grass perfume. well, at least we don't smell like warthog musk.

the miniaturizer! oops. did i say that already? ugh, we just can't get a break today. ah! ah! what is it? a termite, i think. he's kind of cute. hey, wait, put me down! oh, no, you don't! you'll have to get past me! wha! hey, that's not fair. look, there must be some kind of mistake. we're getting carried off by termites. i'd say there's a mistake, all right. hey, easy on the jaw grip there, termite. i know karate. hi-ya! ow. termite jaws are tough and strong. koki, they're collecting grass! and we smell like grass. so, they think we're just another blade of grass. of course they do. wait, don't they eat grass? it's jimmy! jimmy! jimmy!

i think he hears us! his music's too loud! jimmy! we're down here! we're down here! with king kong termites! help! help! (sniffing) oh yeah, more smells in the house. koki? aviva? anyone? they're gone! hey! ah! all right! (grunting) whoa! sorry jz. they're gone! huh? aviva and koki? are you sure? they always tell me when they're leaving. they know i panic. look at this! someone spilled something. (sniffing) savannah grass. aww. the whole canister got knocked over. which knocked down the miniaturizer. and judging by the angle it's on the beam was pointing right to... the puddle. footprints:

koki and aviva. it gets worse! look! termite prints. what? a-ha! termites. mystery solved. what? what? what's solved? don't you see, jz? they dropped the grass scent on themselves-- accidentally got miniaturized-- and termites carried them off. voila! yeah, i knew that. what? we got to find them. but there are millions of termites all over the african savannah, more than all the mammals combined! and lots of creatures eat termites. now, they're with the armies of termites heading right into the middle of a predator-prey battle zone. oh, we got to find them fast! we'll need some creature power help for this creature rescue. let's split up! i'll use the power of the termites to infiltrate the colonies and search for them there. and i'll use the powers of termite predators to hunt down as many termites as i can. and i'll just freak out.

(sighing) wait! termites. activate termite power! ♪ termites, here i come! woo-hoo! hey, guys. ready for another worker in the colony? okay, i get it. there are already millions of you. but have you seen two girls that smell strangely like savannah grass? hmm. guess not. did aviva add a new feature to this suit? whoa. my antenna are picking up a termite pheromone. ah, there it is, a pathway of chemical pheromones that shows all the termites the way back to the nest. okay, termite pals let's ride this pheromone highway straight to your nest. and hopefully,

aviva and koki are there. oh yeah, this is the way to do it stick with one of the best termite finders on the planet. lead me to 'em, aardwolf. imagine that, being able to hear termites chewing. the ears... oh, if only i could hear termites cutting grass like she can. jackpot! you just can't hide from the hearing power of the aardwolf. ooh, then the tongue comes out that fat, sticky tongue. it's the aardwolf's built-in termite collector. oh, hey, wait a second not so fast! one of those might be my friends! slow down. you're like a machine. i know you can eat thousands in one sitting but i can't keep up! aviva! koki! aviva! koki! if you see a couple that look like little people just don't eat 'em, okay? termite overload!

are we there yet? all right, already, you don't have to be so rough about it. koki, look! what are they doing? i read about this during the food web challenge that we did. they grow a special fungus on the grass. that fungus helps break down the plant so that when the termites eat it, they get more energy. whoa, so this is like a kitchen where they make the food for the whole colony. ew. no. i told you i'm not a piece of grass! looks kind of pretty. yeah, thanks. okay, we have no idea where we are, no way to call for help. so, there's only one thing to do. make fungus hats? hmm? no, we've got to find a way out of here. first, let's get this grass smell off of us so we don't get carried right back to the grass kitchens.

come on! i hope those creature bros are looking for us because i'm no termite expert. who knows what's down these tunnels? my antenna are picking up another pheromone. hmmm, what's this new smell signal? (grunting) what's going on? termite stampede! soldier termites with giant heads and giant jaws! that danger pheromone called them in. but why? oh, that's why. the soldiers are using their jaw defense to protect their fellow termites. all for one and one for all! back off! (grunting)

whoa! whoa! aviva? koki? martin! it's me! oh, i thought i heard a girlish scream. real funny. hey, aardwolf, don't eat this termite here. he's my brother and-- ah! what's that? ah! talk about a girlish scream. ew! bad tasting terpenes that no predator likes to eat. (groaning) as soon as there are more yucky soldier termites around than the tastier worker termites, the aardwolf's out of here to find a fresh batch of termites. yes, we did it! ha-ha! great job, guys. oh yeah. the aardwolf has great termite finding powers. and the termites have an answer: tough defenses. whoa, got to go.

these guys are on their way back to the nest safely underground where aardwolves can't dig to. and i've got to get some termite hunting powers that i can use. aviva and koki are out there somewhere. and we're not going to stop till we find them. ♪ (crunching) yes! i knew it would work! make the sound of a termite cutting grass and attract a bat-eared fox. oh, those ears are incredible, 100 times better at hearing than a human's ears. this is my second termite predator. a little closer and he'll be in touching range. huh? where'd he go? i didn't fool you, did i? you heard

me talking to myself didn't you? yeah, thought so. activate bat-eared fox power! ♪ yes! now, i have some of the greatest termite-hunting powers in the world. no termite can hide from me now. what's that? a-ha! that was easy. aviva? koki? you there? hmm, nothing. aviva? koki? aviva? koki? aviva? koki? yes, the harvester termite nest! not much on the outside, but down there is the underground home to millions. basic nest plan ready.

let's see: tunnels, food storage, nursery for the baby termites. i'm going in! there are so many tunnels. we'll never find our way out of this maze. somehow, we will. we have to. i just wish i was back in the tortuga, inventing stuff. (gasping) what? i'm serious. i know the guys love this adventure stuff. but i'd rather make cool inventions. oh! oh! whoa! why are you so surprised? i'm... i'm not surprised. i'm freaked out! what is that thing? ah! gross. gross. don't move. it looks hungry. she tastes way better than me. hmm? sorry. ah! ah! aviva? koki? hmm?

i hear termites. i'm lucky i found you, because unlike the aardwolf, you bat-eared foxes have the digging power to get into these underground nests. (grunting) help me! tiny voices! we're close! aviva! koki! we're on our way! yes! fox martin to the rescue! will you stop finding me! oh, i thought you were them! i thought i found koki and aviva. nope. it's me. and time is running out now. the longer it takes to find them-- the longer they're out there in the middle of this war between the termites and the tongues. we've got to step it up, dude. check this out: wings! some termites have them to disperse and start new colonies. and it's time for me to search a different species: one whose nests you can't bust into, even with fox paws. and i'll keep searching the ground nests.

hey, i'm on a roll. i found you, right? yeah, twice. oh, you again. hey, warty. here it is: home of the macrotermes termites. now, this is a true fortress. it's hard as concrete and built with pure termite power, right, workers? built with sand and termite spit, one grain at a time. if we humans built a building this much bigger than us it'd be seven times taller than the tallest building in the world: another amazing termite defense against the digging termite eaters. aviva's shoe? where? how? oh no! i hope i'm not too late. aviva! koki!

martin! come in! go, chris. i think i found them but i just hope they're okay. huh? hmm. koki: get out of here! oh no! call you back. aviva: help me! huh? no! i'm too late! too late for what? huh? you're okay! we're fine. but you were yelling "help me!" and stuff. yeah, "help me count these eggs." there are thousands of them. that's because you found the queen termite, the mother of every single termite in the colony! big momma t! she's harmless. every single termite? yeah, she lays about 30,000 eggs every single day for her entire lifetime, 15 years of egg laying. get out of here! that's

164 million eggs million! the queen termite is the key to the termites' greatest power of all, their best defense against predators too: the power of numbers. hey, my shoe. thanks. these termites keep taking everything. yeah, like taking these eggs to the nursery where they hatch. they can do such amazing things because they're all working together like build this fortress! and battle the termite eaters. now that's teamwork! hey, speaking of teamwork, i got to call martin. (gasping) oh no. i'm picking up a pheromone. it's saying... "someone's trying to break into the mound!" (gasping) (rumbling) martin! come in! is that you up there? up where? where are you? i found aviva and koki! we're all safe inside a colony. ah! you call this safe? but we're being attacked.

huh? whoa! now that's a crazy tongue! attack of the tongue! chris! chris! you're breaking up. in a fortress mound, attacked by a tongue. who's tongue? which termite eater? hmm? an aardwolf? no, skinnier than that! a bat-eared fox? (gasping) no, much longer than that! ah! a honey badger? longer. stickier. it's the tongue of all tongues! look, i'll just send you the coordinates! uh-oh! chris? chris? oh no, not good. okay, let's see, super long tongue, super sticky and with digging powers that can bust into a termite fortress? (gasping) that can only be one creature: the granddaddy of termite predators the aardvark!

got to find that aardvark! (gasping) stand back, we're using our jaw and chemical spray defense. he won't like the taste of this! (grunting) it's safety in numbers. every termite lives and dies for the safety of the whole colony. yeah, great, but i'm not a termite. i'd rather not get slurped up by a giant tongue. ah! whoa! koki! ah! (grunting) ah! (groaning) nice save, aviva. yeah, thanks, aviva. no problem. ooh. ooh. problem. the tongue strikes again. whoa! whoa! jaw defense! well, it was nice knowing you guys. i never thought i'd end up food of a termite eater! chemical defense!

take that! jaw defense! chemical defense! jaw defense! goodbye, koki. goodbye, aviva. whoa! huh? martin? how's that for a creature rescue? ow! ah! easy on the termite defense bro. (coughing) yuck. oh, sorry 'bout that, bro! sure am glad it was you this time. i got here just in time! our friends slurpy and slurpy's mom were in the middle of lunch. they're the ones that found you first with those amazing termite finding ears that termite-sniffing nose those termite-digging claws. by the way, get us off! i'm ready to be human-sized again! yes! i'm me again! you guys can have your adventures. it's back inventing

for me. my turn! at least now i have some new smell samples for our collection: termite fungus and aardvark breath. it really is amazing how smell is so important to creatures. yup, they help predators find their prey. and help other creatures communicate and defend themselves. yeah, the battle for survival between the termites and the tongues is serious stuff. hey, and even though it's a battle, the prey-- the termite-- have the defenses they need to survive. and the predators-- the aardvarks, aardwolves, bat-eared foxes-- have the powers they need to find food and survive. koki: ah! i don't know if i have what i need to survive if you guys don't hurry up and hit that button now! (laughing) zap it! so, predators and prey often find a balance between a predator's ability to catch prey--

and the prey's ability to defend and protect itself from attack. in the case of the termite the best time to see them in action is at night when they're most active. and now, in the middle of the night the termite colony is bustling with activity. the workers are busy building up the colony and adding to it. and the soldiers are standing guard to make sure they're well protected. termites are master builders. this is the top of the mound. and all of these termites are building it even higher. if you look closely, you can see these wet patches. that's where the termites are building up the wall by mixing termite spit with sand and dirt-- to create those little termite bricks that they add one by one to the mound. and then when the sun comes out the new patches of construction dry, bake, and harden to become part of the fortress-like mound. oh, check it out: a spider. whoa. termite predators come in all different sizes. this spider

waits to ambush workers. hey, a gecko. these geckos specialize in eating termites. they crawl around the mound, living inside the tunnels, and eating termites whenever they feel hungry. these termites, it seems like everybody's after them. it's not only the aardwolves and the aardvarks. it's also smaller predators like the spiders. and even ants attack termites. and even though all these predators are eating so many termites, it's not really making a dent in the termite colony because the termites have power in numbers. there are millions and millions of termites in this mound and underground. in fact, if you put all the termites that live here and beneath me into one form, they would be as large as an elephant. all right, the sun is rising and the termites' work for the night is done. they're all returning to the darkness of their underground world. termites are awesome, the prey of so many creatures out here, yet having the defenses to

take care of themselves and survive in the wild. we'll see you on the creature trail. keep on creature adventuring. did you know that "aardvark" means "earth pig"? this is awesome. that nose is always working. and when it smells something it likes then the claws come out and they start digging. now, the neat thing about an aardvark nose-- if you look closely, you'll see the nostrils are filled with hairs. that acts kind of like an eyelash for his nose, keeping the dirt out. so he can breathe while he's digging. keep going, bud. we'll keep an eye out for things. a chipmunk! did you see that? the chipmunk just stuffed a whole acorn in his cheek pouch. he's getting another one! a third! each acorn is about as big as his skull. and he stuffs them into that

cheek pouch, which expands like that into a bag. so, he's got two bags on his face. announcer: coming to pbs kids, a world premiere event! blowfish blowout! earth to kratt brothers. come in, kratt brothers. announcer: two brothers... yes! whoo-hoo! this is fun! way underwater... waah! shark! whoa! way, way, way over their heads! it's a rip current! we're getting sucked into it! "wild kratts lost at sea" premieres monday, january 21 on pbs kids, or watch "wild kratts" anytime at pbskids.org. announcer: it's "curious george." we could put a garden on our roof. eggplant. [chatters] you don't plant eggs to get eggplant, george. announcer: it's "curious george," weekdays on pbs kids or watch anytime you want at pbskids.org. wild kratts is made possible by

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 to the wild kratts website. at pbskids.org. we'll see you there!