纪录片《冰冻星球》 第22期 极地之春（5）（在线收听）

The woolly bear caterpillar does not need the warmth from flowers

灯蛾毛虫却不需要花朵的温暖

to kick-start its spring.

就能迅速迎来它们的春天

It's always the first insect to appear after the snow retreats

它向来是积雪融化后第一个出现的昆虫

and the story of how it does so is truly astonishing.

它为做到这一点所付出的努力令人惊异

At the start of spring,

春季伊始

the caterpillar eats as fast as it can,

毛虫就拼了命地吃

as indeed it must, for this far north, the season will be brief.

它必须这么做 因为北极的春季转瞬即逝

The days shorten only too soon,

白昼很快就会变短

but the caterpillar has not yet

毛虫却还没有

got enough reserves to transform itself into a moth.

足够的储备来转化成蛾

It can't leave the Arctic, for it can't fly,

它还不能离开北极 因为它无法飞行

so it settles down beneath a rock.

所以只好在一块岩石下面躲了起来

The sun's warmth rapidly dwindles.

太阳的热度迅速褪去

Beneath the rock, the caterpillar is out of the wind,

岩石虽能为毛虫挡风遮雪

but the cold penetrates deep into the ground.

但严寒仍蔓延至地下

Soon, its heart stops beating.

很快 它的心跳停止了

It ceases to breathe, and its body starts to freeze--

也停止了呼吸 身体开始结冰

first its gut, then its blood.

先是内脏 接着是血液