宏观世界（2017）

以其头后的白色和黑色的盾牌
distinguished by the white and black shield
来区分
behind its head
它是一个熟练的猎人
it's an even more proficient hunter
它可以在一天之内吃掉250只蚜虫
it can jump through up to 250 aphids in a single day
这样的杀虫效率
such killing efficiency
使它从亚洲出口
led it to being exported from Asia
到欧洲和北美
to Europe and North America
在20世纪90年代作为一种生物害虫防治手段
as a biological pest control in the 1990s
不幸的是
unfortunately
亚洲瓢虫
the Asian ladybug
它还是一个超级高效的繁殖者
turned out to be a hyper efficient breeder as well
每年繁殖多达3500个后代
producing up to 35 hundred offspring a year
是欧洲同类的8倍
8 times more than its European cousin
没有天敌
with no natural predators
它们的数量激增
its population has skyrocketed
两个物种通常和平共处 但是
both species usually coexist peacefully but
如果蚜虫数量下降
if the aphid population falls
亚洲瓢虫的幼虫
the larvae of the Asian ladybug
经常满足它贪婪的胃口
often satisfies its voracious appetite
在离家更近一点的地方
a little closer to home
它变成了同类相食
it turns cannibalistic
吃它的欧洲兄弟的卵和幼虫
and eats the eggs and larvae of its European cousin
在它从亚洲传入的几十年后
only a few decades after its introduction from Asia
它本身就成了害虫
its become a pest itself
尽管从进化的角度来看
though in evolutionary terms
它们比本地物种更适合生存
its simply fitter than the native species
甲虫是利用各种
beetles are world champions
食物资源的世界冠军
in exploiting every food resource
适应每一个环境
and using every environmental niche available
温带森林的地面
the floor of a temperate forest is a
是非常多样化的生态系统
very diverse ecosystem
充满了各种生命和可能性
filled with life and possibilities
有一种甲虫已经完全适应了这种环境
one family of beetles has adapted to it completely
在进化的过程中
in the course of evolution
金甲虫已经失去了飞行能力
the golden ground beetle has lost its ability to fly
虽然它的行动是有限的
but while its locomotion is limited
但它的饮食很广泛
its diet is broad
它以真菌、腐肉甚至小动物为食
it lives on fungi and carrion and even small animals
像蜗牛
like snails
蜗牛是一种非常有营养的食物
snails make a highly nutritious
虽然黏糊糊的
albeit slimy meal
但首先
but first
你得冲破那层外壳
you have to get past that shell
蜗牛速度太慢 无法逃脱大多数捕食者 但是
the snail is too slow to escape most predators but
它有一个秘密武器
it has a secret weapon
它分泌一种粘稠的恶臭粘液
it secretes a thick foul tasting mucus
为了够到蜗牛的肉
to reach the snails flesh
金甲虫必须努力杀出一条路
the golden ground beetle must try to fight its way
通过黏糊糊的黏液
through the goop
粘液很快就覆盖了它的脸 堵塞了它的嘴巴
the mucus soon covers its face and clogs its mouth
让攻击变得更加棘手
making attack a rather sticky situation
这足以吓退捕食者
it's enough to deter this predator
金甲虫放弃了
the beetle gives up
转而采取自我清理的方式
and resorts to cleaning itself up instead
嘴巴堵塞已经够糟糕的了
a clogged mouth is bad enough
但触角是甲虫最重要的
but the antennae are the most important
感觉器官
sensory organs for beetles
它必须在粘液变干变硬之前清理它们
it must clean them before the mucous dries and hardens
否则它就会失去嗅觉
otherwise it will lose its ability to smell
那就等于被判了死刑
and that would be a death sentence
让蜗牛活着是为了改天再战
the snail lives to fight another day
但好景不长
but not for long
这种甲虫
this beetle
黑蜗牛猎人
the black snail hunter
可被视为蜗牛的天敌
could be seen as the snail's arch nemesis
黏液戏法对这种捕食者无效
the slime trick is useless against this predator
它的颚上排列着刷子
its jaws are lined with brushes
非常适合处理黏糊糊的脏东西
perfectly adapted to deal with the sticky mess
而且它似乎喜欢这个味道
and it seems to like the taste
一旦甲虫吃完它黏糊糊的开胃小菜
once the beetle has finished its slimy or derves
它就会爬进壳里享用主菜
it will crawl into the shell for the entree
甲虫可能是最成功的昆虫
beetles might be the most successful insects but
但它们并不是无敌的
they're not invincible
在一瞬间 猎人可能会成为猎物
in a split second hunters can become the hunted
甲虫很容易得到 而且营养丰富
beetles are readily available and highly nutritious
它们是许多动物的重要食物来源
they're an important food source for many animals
比如大斑点啄木鸟
such as the great spotted woodpecker
像许多动物一样
like many animals
它捕食甲虫和它们的幼虫
it prays on both the Beatles and their larvae
虽然森林可以提供许多丰富的食物来源
while forests may present a wealth of food sources for
但甲虫它们也有很多敌人
Beatles they also present a wealth of enemies
为了生存
to survive
甲虫发展出了多种策略
Beatles have developed a diversity of strategies
飞行通常是最安全的选择
flying is usually the safest option
但对于甲虫这样的小生物来说
but for a small creature like the beetle
隐藏是一个自然的本能
hiding is a natural alternative
但有一种甲虫
but one beetle
拥有一种非常特别的逃跑技巧
has developed a very extraordinary trick to escape
即使它们直接陷入危险之中
predators even when they fall directly into harm's way
背着地的甲虫是典型的受害者
a beetle on its back is a quintessential victim
完全是无助的
utterly helpless
至少看起来是这样
or so it seems
没有腿或翅膀的帮助
without the help of legs or wings
滴答虫却可以飞到空中
the click beetle can fly into the air
就像从弹弓中射出来的
as if shot from a catapult
它将能量储存在体内一个特殊的
it stores energy in a special spring mechanism
弹簧机构
inside its body
释放时
when released
它把甲虫推向了天空
it launches the beetle skyward
这个惊人的技巧让它可以
this stunning trick allows it to
把自己扔到自身体长20倍的高度
hurl itself up to 20 times its own body length
脱离了迫在眉睫的危险
and out of immediate danger
大自然已经存在
nature has had almost
两亿四千万年了
240,000,000 years to work on
研究甲虫的防御策略
beatle's defense strategies
这是一个令人震撼
and it's come up with a real zinger
令人信服的事实
for a convincing deterrent
也许没有比这更好的例子来说明大自然的独创性了
there's perhaps no better example of nature's ingenuity
放屁虫更厉害
than the bombardier beetle
这些小东西看起来可能无害
these little things might look harmless
但接近它们时应小心谨慎
but they should be approached with caution
蚂蚁群繁殖需要大量的蛋白质
a colony events needs huge amounts of protein
通常捕食的小蜘蛛或昆虫
usually covered by praying on small spiders or insects
小于1厘米
a beetle of less than 1cm
是比较轻松的
is usually overwhelmed with ease
但放屁虫就不同了
but not the bombardier
当受到攻击时
when attacked
它会释放一种腐蚀性的高温气体 高达100摄氏度
it emits a corrosive hot gas up to 100 degrees Celsius
毒气可能杀不死袭击者
the gas may not kill the attacker
但它确实把袭击者赶走了
but it certainly drives it away
这可能不是它的本意
it's not intended that way
但这给了蚂蚁一个学习的机会
but it gives the ant an opportunity to learn
和教训
and adapt
它不会再犯同样的错误了
it won't make the same mistake again
但这样的武器并不总能赢得胜利
but such weapons don't always win the day
对付蟾蜍那么大的捕食者
against a predator the size of a toad
连放屁虫也无能为力
even the bombardier is helpless
大自然给甲虫配备了装备
nature has equipped beetles with a whole
武器和化学物质
arsenal of chemicals
有些用于防御 有些用来消化食物
some for defense some for digesting food