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 Video - FilmsWildlife and Plant Species: InvertebratesNote: The title is followed by the length, producer, distributor (if different from producer), and year film was made. Unless otherwise noted, the videos listed below are VHS format. Many are available in Beta, 16mm and other formats. Some are on laser disks.
+ Indicates video sold or rented with teacher’s instruction guide.
"Giant Tarantula." 51 minutes. Survival Anglia. Time Warner Distributor. Predators of the Wild Series. (VHS & Laserdisc.) Released 1994.
The behavior and ecology of this huge arachnid in South America are shown. This species has become popular as a pet in the United States and elsewhere, and some species are threatened by the trade.
"Magic Wings." 60 minutes. Discovery Communications. 1997.
Like its title, this film conveys some of the magic in butterflies, their beauty and amazing transformation from caterpillar to adult. An excellent educational tool, this film explores their dependence on various types of plants for food for the caterpillars and the adults, as well as the many types of butterflies in the world. Their importance to other wildlife as a food source, and the dangers they encounter to survive, make this one of the best films on butterflies ever made. Although not focusing on endangered species of butterflies, the information is invaluable in understanding the importance of preserving them as significant plant pollinators and ethereal symbols of wildness.
“The Monarch. A Butterfly Beyond Borders.” 47 minutes. Two parts for classrooms; also in Spanish. Asterisk Productions. Bullfrog Films. 1997. Grades 6-12/College/Adult.
The future of this familiar and well-loved butterfly is now in doubt as a result of deforestation in Mexico, where Monarchs from eastern North America winter, and loss of habitat on their breeding grounds. The only butterflies to migrate long distances, taking several generations to arrive at their destinations by means as yet not understood, they are rapidly disappearing and need conservation attention.
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