The Old Oak Tree

Every 17 years a sea of alien creatures bubbles up from the earth under the same old oak tree. With enormous red eyes and intricate wet, lacey wings these creatures burst forth from the earth in spring and robotically move in single file up the bark of ancient oaks to mate and lay eggs only to die just days later. These cicadas are just one of the creatures that are drawn like magnets to oak trees - moths, caterpillars, wasps, bees and a whole host of fascinating characters make their home in oak trees. In this episode we explore the diverse world of oaks and the strange and symbiotic relationships these trees have with their citizens.