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A Real Bug's Life Episode 103 - "Braving the Backyard"

It’s spring in a Texan backyard, and a new family is moving in. As they put their stamp on the place, a baby Texas unicorn mantis struggles to come of age in her brand-new world, a colony of invasive fire ants have their survival skills pushed to the limit, and a jet-setting monarch butterfly searches for a lifeline on her mammoth migration north. This is the story of bugs surviving and thriving in one of the most unpredictable places on Earth. 

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  • Fire ants gather inside an electrical box in the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life." (National Geographic/Fernanda Prudencio)

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    Fire ants gather inside an electrical box in the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life." (National Geographic/Fernanda Prudencio)

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  • A female mantis is silhouetted on a metallic fence in Austin, Texas in the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life." (National Geographic/Matt Langbehn)

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    A female mantis is silhouetted on a metallic fence in Austin, Texas in the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life." (National Geographic/Matt Langbehn)

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  • An adult Texas unicorn mantis stands on the neck of bug wrangler John Abbott on set in Austin, Texas in the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life." (National Geographic/Fernanda Prudencio)

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    An adult Texas unicorn mantis stands on the neck of bug wrangler John Abbott on set in Austin, Texas in the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life." (National Geographic/Fernanda Prudencio)

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  • A monitor shows an adult Texas unicorn mantis in Austin, Texas in the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life." (National Geographic/Fernanda Prudencio)

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    A monitor shows an adult Texas unicorn mantis in Austin, Texas in the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life." (National Geographic/Fernanda Prudencio)

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  • A fire ant raft is seen floating on water in an Austin, Texas backyard in the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life." (National Geographic/Fernanda Prudencio)

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    A fire ant raft is seen floating on water in an Austin, Texas backyard in the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life." (National Geographic/Fernanda Prudencio)

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  • Director of Photography Alex Jones, camera assistant Matt Langbehn and bug wrangler Sean O'Donnell set a shot of fire ants rafting in a tank for the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life," with a plastic duck providing perspective (showing how small the fire ants are.) (National Geographic/Alex Hemmingway)

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    Director of Photography Alex Jones, camera assistant Matt Langbehn and bug wrangler Sean O'Donnell set a shot of fire ants rafting in a tank for the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life," with a plastic duck providing perspective (showing how small the fire ants are.) (National Geographic/Alex Hemmingway)

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  • Director of Photography Alex Jones films green June beetle larvae in a compost heap in Austin, Texas for the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life" in Austin, Texas. (National Geographic/Fernanda Prudencio)

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    Director of Photography Alex Jones films green June beetle larvae in a compost heap in Austin, Texas for the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life" in Austin, Texas. (National Geographic/Fernanda Prudencio)

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  • A monitor shows a backyard mini set with monarch butterflies on milkweed which was featured in the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life." (National Geographic/Sean Doyle)

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    A monitor shows a backyard mini set with monarch butterflies on milkweed which was featured in the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life." (National Geographic/Sean Doyle)

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  • A level three Texas Unicorn Mantis is featured in the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life." (National Geographic/Alex Jones)

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    A level three Texas Unicorn Mantis is featured in the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life." (National Geographic/Alex Jones)

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  • A level three Texas Unicorn Mantis is featured in the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life." (National Geographic/John Abbot)

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    A level three Texas Unicorn Mantis is featured in the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life." (National Geographic/John Abbot)

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  • Monarch butterflies are featured in the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life." (National Geographic Image Collection/Bianca Lavies)

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    Monarch butterflies are featured in the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life." (National Geographic Image Collection/Bianca Lavies)

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  • A monarch butterfly caterpillar feeds on a milkweed plant. (National Geographic Image Collection/Bianca Lavies)

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    A monarch butterfly caterpillar feeds on a milkweed plant. (National Geographic Image Collection/Bianca Lavies)

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  • A monarch butterfly stands on a leaf. Monarchs are featured in the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life." (National Geographic/Rich Reid)

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    A monarch butterfly stands on a leaf. Monarchs are featured in the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life." (National Geographic/Rich Reid)

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  • A "burst" of monarch butterflies flies with blue skies in the background. Monarchs are featured in the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life." (National Geographic/Medford Taylor)

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    A "burst" of monarch butterflies flies with blue skies in the background. Monarchs are featured in the "Braving the Backyard" episode of "A Real Bug's Life." (National Geographic/Medford Taylor)

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