BBC4 to supersize the insect world

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In spring 2013, BBC4 will “supersize the insect world” in a series called Alien Nation. Featuring six episodes, the series will “cast a light on this realm in an unprecedented way.”

According to BBC4, “Planet Ant will unearth the natural home of the Leafcutter ant in the biggest manufactured colony in Europe; Insect Dissection will reveal the anatomies of insects via dissection coupled with cutting edge imaging technology; Can Eating Insects Save The World? will explore whether insect cuisine could be the key to our future; and The Incredible Story Of The Monarch Butterfly: Four Wings And A Prayer focuses on the migration of the Monarch butterfly. Also featured are Metamorphosis and Edwardian Insects, which recalls how natural historian Percy Smith, came up with an innovative way of filming insects doing remarkable things.

Richard Klein, Controller, BBC4, says: “Come and get better acquainted, or alienated, with some ancestors of ours… insects. BBC4 is bravely going where most people actively avoid by getting up close and personal with insects of all shapes and sizes. Wreaking havoc with our courage and using cutting-edge filming technology, BBC Four is breaking out of the usual two-dimensional take on bugs and really finding how insects work, how they live and how this alien nation might ultimately be the true lords of the universe.”

Planet Ant is produced by BBC Scotland in co-production with the Science Channel. The executive producer for BBC Scotland is Marcus Herbert and commissioned by Richard Klein and Kim Shillinglaw. Insect Dissection is produced by BBC Scotland and was commissioned by Richard Klein and Kim Shillinglaw. The executive producer for BBC Scotland is Marcus Herbert. Can Eating Insects Save The World? was commissioned by Richard Klein and Kim Shillinglaw. The executive producer is Kari Lia for Plum Pictures and Clare Peterson is the executive producer for the BBC. The Incredible Story Of The Monarch Butterfly: Four Wings And A Prayer is a Primitive Entertainment and Films à Trois Production in co-production with The National Film Board of Canada. The executive producers are Michael McMahon and Emmanuel Laurent and the executive producer for the BBC is Carol Sennett.

Metamorphosis is produced by BBC Scotland and was commissioned by Richard Klein and Kim Shillinglaw. The executive producer is Marcus Herbert for BBC Scotland. Edwardian Insects was commissioned by Richard Klein and Mark Bell. The exec producer is Emma Morgan for Mentorn Media and Cassian Harrison is BBC commissioning executive.