蝴蝶的神奇之旅（2009）

It's one of the most profound mysteries in the natural world.
这是自然界最大的谜团之一
An amazing transcontinental odyssey.
这是横跨大♥陆♥的冒险旅程
The migration each year of millions of monarch butterflies
成千上万的帝王蝶每一年都要
from Canada, across America,
从加拿大出发 横跨美国
to Mexico.
迁徙至墨西哥
You've got a butterfly that's originating in Toronto,
这些蝴蝶有来自多伦多
or it's originating in Detroit Michigan
也有来自密歇根州的底特律
it's coming down from St. Paul,
它们由圣保罗
maybe even Winnipeg, and it's moving south,
甚至可能是温尼泊出发 一路向南
and somehow, it finds its way to Mexico.
并且能以某种方式找到去墨西哥的路线
Could you do that?
你做得到吗
Starting from a tiny caterpillar,
由一只小毛毛虫
blossoming into a beautiful butterfly,
日渐蜕变成美丽的蝴蝶
these delicate creatures will fly thousands of miles
这些精巧的生物以持久的耐力
in a feat of endurance and navigation
和精确的方向感飞行数千英里
unlike anything else in nature.
这在自然界中独一无二
They've never taken a long flight in their lives,
它们一生从未长途飞行过
and they're on their way to an area
现在它们却正飞向
that they've never seen before.
一片未知之地
Somehow they're recognizing landmarks,
它们以独特的方式辨认路标
or following streams,
沿行洋流
or following the sun
追随太阳
or following something.
或者其它导向物
They're on their way to a remote area
它们正迁徙至
high in the Mexican mountains,
位于遥远墨西哥山脉的高处地带
and they get there every year at exactly the same time.
每年它们都会准时到达那里
Butterflies have dazzled humans for millennia.
几千年以来蝴蝶一直让人们心醉神迷
It's a beautiful little creature,
最重要的是
and on top of that,
这种纤巧美丽的生物
it migrates 2,000 miles.
竟然能够飞行两千英里
And this just staggers the mind.
这足以让人叹为惊止
I think the monarch butterfly
我认为帝王蝶
is one of the most magnificent animals in the world.
是世界上最不可思议的动物之一
And it's unique in terms of the entire animal kingdom.
就整个动物界来说 它们独一无二
There's nothing like it.
简直是无与伦比
Next on NOVA
新星即将播出
"The Incredible Journey of the Butterflies."
《蝴蝶的神奇之旅》
On a late August morning
八月末的一个早上
just north of Lake Huron in Canada,
在加拿大休伦湖北部
a miracle of nature is about to unfold.
一个自然界的奇迹即将发生
This tiny caterpillar is destined
这小小的毛毛虫
to become a monarch butterfly.
注定要成为一只帝王蝶
In one of the most amazing transformations
这是动物界最神奇的
in the animal world,
蜕变
the caterpillar will outgrow and shed its skin four times.
毛毛虫在不断生长的过程中会蜕四次皮
The fifth time,
第五次
the caterpillar disappears.
毛毛虫消失了
It's transformed into a chrysalis,
它变成了一个蝶蛹
a delicate case within which
精致的丝团里
a completely new being takes form.
正孕育着一个全新的生命
After about ten days in the chrysalis,
结茧后大约十天
the new creature is complete.
全新的生命就孕育完成了
All traces of the caterpillar are gone.
毛毛虫的所有特征都消失了
And in its place is a butterfly
取而代之的是
with four delicate wings.
有着四片精致翅膀的蝴蝶
But the newly developed monarch butterfly
但是破茧重生的帝王蝶
must wait a few hours for its wings to harden.
还要等几个小时才能让翅膀硬起来
And then, finally, it can fly.
然后 最终 它能够展翅高飞
This particular generation of monarch butterflies is special.
这一代的帝王蝶是特别的
Every year,
每一年
about 100 million of them
大约有一亿只帝王蝶
begin an astonishing migration.
要进行惊心动魄的迁徙
Coming from Southern Canada
它们有来自加拿大南部的
and the Northeastern United States,
也有来自北美的
each butterfly,
每一只蝴蝶
starting on its own,
从各自的地方出发
flies about 2,000 miles,
历经两个月
arriving two months later in Mexico.
飞行两千英里后到达墨西哥
Their trip is part of a carefully-timed cycle
这个旅程是精确的迁徙周期的一部分
that began three generations back
这个周期始于三代之前
when a group of monarchs
由冬末离开墨西哥的
left Mexico at the end of the winter.
那一群帝王蝶开启
They flew as far north as the Gulf states,
它们北飞至墨西哥湾各州
mated and died.
交♥配♥后死去
The second generation flew to the Northern United States.
第二代飞去北美
There, they, too, mated and died,
在那里它们同样交♥配♥ 然后死去
living only about a month.
仅存活大约一个月
Their offspring-- the third generation--
它们的后代 即第三代帝王蝶
completed the last leg of the journey to Canada,
飞去加拿大完成路途的最后一程
also surviving only about a month.
依然仅存活一个月
But the fourth generation will live almost nine months.
但是第♥四♥代♥能够存活九个月
And they'll fly all the way back to Mexico
它们会一路飞回墨西哥
in one epic trip.
这又是一段规模宏大的旅程
It's an amazing natural cycle that,
这是一个至今还未破解的
so far, eludes explanation.
奇妙自然周期
The mystery starts at the very beginning
这个谜团始于迁徙刚刚开始的时候
of the trip, because no one knows
因为没有人知道到底是什么原因
exactly what triggers the exodus from Canada.
驱使它们成群离开加拿大
Well, when the monarchs leave Canada,
当帝王蝶离开加拿大后
they have a 2,000-mile trek ahead of them, at least.
它们至少要跋涉两千英里
They're freshly hatched butterflies,
它们是刚刚破茧的蝴蝶
they've never taken a long flight in their lives,
此生还从未进行过长途飞行
and they're on their way to an area
现在它们正飞向
that they've never seen before.
一片未知之地
Somehow, they're recognizing landmarks,
它们以独特的方式辨认路标
or following streams,
沿行洋流
or following the sun,
追随太阳
or following something.
或者其他的导向物
We just don't know exactly how they do it.
我们不知道它们是如何做到的
It's really an incredible journey.
这绝对是场神奇之旅
A monarch's wingspan is just under four inches.
帝王蝶的翅膀宽度不足四英寸
And they weigh less than one-fifth of an ounce.
它本身的重量也不超过0.2盎司
So how they survive their marathon migration
它们是怎样熬过漫长艰辛的迁徙
is another mystery.
这又是一个谜团
They only fly when conditions are perfect.
它们只在天时地利都绝好的时刻飞翔
If it's too cold, they get sluggish
如果太冷 它们就萎靡不振
and can't flap their wings.
无法拍打翅膀
If it's too hot,
如果太热
they stop flying,
它们就不飞翔
so they don't get over-heated.
以免身体过热
They must also stop often
它们也经常停下来
for nectar and water.
采集花蜜 补充水分
But every time they land,
但是每次它们着陆
there can be enemies lurking.
都可能遇着潜伏的敌人
Bad weather is also the monarch's enemy.
恶劣的天气也是帝王蝶的敌人
A rainstorm can be deadly.
暴风雨对它们的打击是致命的
If it survives enemy attacks
从加拿大出发的帝王蝶
and bad weather,
即使能从敌人的袭击
a monarch that started in Canada
和恶劣的天气中幸存下来
has to fly at least 50 miles a day
也要每天飞行五十英里
to get to Mexico.
才能到达墨西哥
The physical effort this requires is remarkable
对于这种只拥有脆弱翅膀的弱小群体来说
for a creature so small, with such fragile wings.
这样的飞行需要非同寻常的体力付出
Butterflies are the worst possible
蝴蝶的身体构架
body form for trying to make a long-distance migration.
最不适合这种长距离的迁徙
They're simply a bad design.
它们简直是设计拙劣
Every time they flap their wings, they're using
它们每一次拍动翅膀
energy at least 20 times the rate
所用的能量
than when they're not flapping it.
至少是休息时的二十倍
So they're just burning their fuel up at a great rate,
所以它们是在剧烈消耗生命的能量