Wild Kratts!

♪ Whoa!

(Laughing) Hey, bro, what are you doing here?

Looking for fireflies.

What are you doing here?

Looking for lightning bugs.

You mean fireflies.

You mean lightning bugs.

(Laughing) Same thing.

Hey, I'm Chris.

And I'm Martin.

We're the Kratt brothers.

And you know, we're not gonna find a glowing bug with our lights on.

Because when you're looking for fireflies the darker the better so you can see their glow.

So, lights off!

Hey, over there!

Oh, yeah.

Got it.

Hey, come back!

I almost got one!

(Both yelling) MARTIN: Catching fireflies can be tricky.

(Laughing and groaning) You can't see the fireflies with the lights on.

And you can't see the big rocks with the lights off.

I can feel a lightning bug on my nose.

Me too.

Back that looks like a sunflower seed.

Orange-red head.

Big, black, ball-y eyes.

And a belly that glows.

Lightning bugs have a special power: bioluminescence, which means light given off by living things.

Whoa!

Whenever a lightning bug glows it's sending a message.

A secret firefly code-- To other lightning bugs.

Imagine if we could fly with the fireflies through the night.

We could keep up with them and find out the secret to their glowing power.

What if?

♪ On adventure with the coolest creatures ♪ ♪ From the oceans to the trees ♪ ♪ The Brothers Kratt are going places you never get to see ♪ ♪ Hanging with their creature friends ♪ ♪ Get ready, it's the hour ♪ ♪ We're gonna save some animals today with ♪ ♪ Creature Power ♪ ♪ Gonna go wild, Wild Kratts ♪ ♪ Gonna go wild, wild, Wild Kratts ♪ ♪ Gonna go wild, Wild Kratts ♪ ♪ Gonna go wild, wild, wild ♪ ♪ Cheetah speed and lizard glide ♪ ♪ Falcon flight and lion pride ♪ ♪ Gonna go wild, Wild Kratts ♪ ♪ Gonna go wild, wild, Wild Kratts ♪ ♪ Gonna go wild, Wild Kratts ♪ ♪ Gonna go wild, wild, Wild Kratts ♪ ♪ Go wild, wild, Wild Kratts ♪ KOKI: Higher.

Higher.

A bit lower.

Okay, a touch higher.

Hmph.

Perfect.

Everything's set for the Wild Kratt firefly picnic.

(Mosquito humming) Skeeters!

Skeeters!

Get away!

Get away!

Ugh!

(Mosquito humming) Hmm.

All right, let's do this!

We got to get into the forest and find those fireflies.

What's the rush?

The lightning bugs are only adult form for a few weeks each year.

And it's their only chance to mate.

So give us a rundown on these new buzz bikes.

Okay, here's what you need to know: To steer pull back to go up and push forward to dive down.

(Engine starting) Careful, the throttles are extra sensitive so beware.

No problemo.

I got it.

(Revving) Whoa!

Problemo!

Huh?

Whoa-- Whoa!

Let's get you into the miniaturizer.

Another problemo.

(Laughing) Oops.

I forgot to include mechanical matter.

Let's try this again.

Woo hoo!

Yeehaw!

MARTIN: Let's find some fireflies.

All right, looking for lightning bugs.

No way, dude, fireflies.

They light up like fire and they fly.

Get it?

Firefly.

But they're not really flies at all.

Flies have two wings; These guys have four.

They're actually beetles.

Then why don't you call them lightning beetles?

Firefly at 2:00!

Where?

MARTIN: Right there!

He's blinking!

Hold up, Blinker, I'm coming!

Blinker.

Better than some fire name like Torch or Flame.

Blinker: I like it.

♪ MARTIN: Where are you?

♪ Toad alert!

Near miss!

Blinker!

Where did Blinker go?

Blinker?

Where are you?

♪ Whoa!

(Crashing) (Laughing) Nice!

I'll give that an 8.5.

But your landing could have been smoother.

Now, that's a 9.3.

Way to stick the landing.

(Phone ringing) You guys okay?

CK, what happened?

Um, nothing.

Just doing a little soil sample study.

Yeah, soil study.

That's it.

Right.

Well, are the fireflies coming out tonight?

We're on it; don't worry.

Once we finish up with these soil samples, we'll get back to looking.

(Koki laughing) Ask them to catch a rattlesnake or a rhino: no problem.

But one little firefly?

(Laughing) Hey, I got him.

I found Blinker!

Wait, it's not Blinker.

It's a lightning bug egg.

Cool.

And here's what it hatches into!

A cute little glow-worm.

A glow-worm lives underground for up to two years then grows wings and turns into a firefly.

Hey, you could lose a little weight, buddy.

I think you hugged him too tight.

He's glowing for defense.

What?

Whoa!

Whoa!

(Screaming) Oh, no!

Martin!

Bro!

That's why he was glowing: to warn the toad.

The glow says, "I'm poisonous.

Don't eat me."

Well, I'm sure that toad learned his lesson.

He won't try to eat a glow-worm ever again.

The lightning bugs are coming out!

MARTIN: Fireflies!

It's happening!

Come on, follow them!

Hey, Aviva, if you thought syncing up our video screens with the creature pods was cool, check this out.

The fireflies will synchronize their blinking when they're in a large group.

Whoa, that's amazing.

(Beeping) CHRIS: Whoa, it's starting.

The fireflies are coming!

Shut off the lights!

You've got to see this!

Whoa... No, no, no.

What am I going to wear?

I need to stand out, one-of-a-kind dress.

Dabio!

Huh?

I'm exhausted.

I need some fresh air.

Window open now.

Ugh!

Dabio?

Yeah, Donita?

You know how bugs bug me when they move.

Window closed now.

Oh, how beautiful.

A flash of genius!

I can work with this.

Dabio?

Yeah?

Window open now.

All right.

MARTIN: This is the only time to see fireflies.

They only come out like this for two weeks of the year.

CHRIS: And each lightning bug only flies and flashes for this one time in their whole lives.

When they flash they're talking to each other.

The male fireflies fly around and flash to get the attention of the females.

The females are on the ground watching the flying flashes.

If she likes what she sees she'll flashback.

So the fireflies are flashing so they can pair up and lay eggs that turn into glow worms that turn into fireflies.

But what are they saying to each other?

It's like a code: a code that we don't know.

We've got to figure out the lightning bug code.

AVIVA: Bioluminescence: light created by a living thing.

Most light creates heat, but the firefly's glowing belly isn't hot.

It creates cold light.

How does it work?

How do you do it?

MARTIN: Blinker.

His name's Blinker.

How do you know it's Blinker?

Oh, I'd recognize him anywhere.

Okay, so at the bug Olympics, how does a firefly-- Hm?

What are you doing?

I'm telling Blinker a joke in firefly.

At the bug Olympics, how does a firefly start the race?

How?

On your mark, get set, glow!

(Laughing) Look at the fireflies I caught.

CHRIS: All right.

Have a good look at them-- Then let the fireflies go.

♪ CHRIS: Donita!

She's sucking up all the lightning bugs!

No!

She's captured all the male lightning bugs from the meadow.

Donita's jet is headed due east.

She's heading towards Smoky Mountain Mansion.

Good job, Koki.

Keep tracking her.

We've got to go now and rescue them.

The fireflies only have this time to flash, lay eggs and hatch glow-worms.

If they don't, there will be no fireflies next year.

Hold on.

How are you gonna rescue thousands of lightning bugs?

We need a plan.

We don't have time for any plans!

You know Donita.

She'll put them into suspended animation and try to make flashing jewelry or sweat bands out of them If we're too slow, we're too late.

Blinker, you're still with us!

You're the only male firefly left.

CHRIS: And he's the secret to the code.

If we can crack the flashing code, we should be able to communicate with the lightning bugs and lead them to safety.

I already know how to talk firefly.

They call me the firefly whisperer.

Firefly whisperer?

Who does?

Could you guys use a firefly disc for your Creature Power Suits?

Yeah!

I just have to figure out how their bioluminescence works first.

Okay, Jimmy.

Take that luciferase in the green tube and pour it in the large beaker.

Hm?

Hm, that didn't work and you should probably wash your hair.

These are going to be perfect, simply glow-rious.

(Laughing) Uh-- Glow-rious?

Get us back to the mansion.

Hey, Blinker.

Dude!

What's up?

CHRIS: You're asking him what's up?

Just an ice breaker.

Relax.

What we need to do is watch how he flashes and copy it.

Blink, blink.

Blink, blink.

Blink, blink.

Blink.

Oh!

We got it!

We can speak firefly!

(Laughing) We have to make sure we're precise about the length and pattern of the cycle.

No problem.

I've got it.

I think I'm even getting the firefly accent.

Blink, blink.

Blink, blink.

How's the firefly disc going?

Just need to infuse the disc with bioluminescence.

Wow, you figured out the formula for bioluminescence that easily?

Well, there was one mishap along the way.

Yeah, this mishap.

Sorry, Jimmy.

But we learned that the firefly or lightning bug mixes two chemicals, luciferin and luciferase, with oxygen inside its belly to create a glow.

That's how they do it and how we do it too.

Excellent, let's go rescue them!

Can't rush out yet.

We may be able to mimic Blinker's flash pattern but we still don't know if the lightning bugs will follow it.

Oh, it'll work.

I'll sneak in there as a firefly and bust them out of jail Great Escape style.

AVIVA: Guys!

Up for grabs!

Check it out, an ivory billed woodpecker!

What, really?

That could be the only one left.

Looks like we're doing the creature rescue my way.

I say we study these lightning bugs more and make sure we can lure them away from Donita by copying their flash patterns.

Sounds good.

Meet me there when you're ready.

Activate firefly power!

I'm gonna wing it!

Fireflying!

Martin, look out!

I'm fine, guys.

I'm gonna save the planet with Creature Power-- Why didn't it open?

(Laughing) Looks like you're too small to activate the automatic door.

Thanks, dude.

KOKI: I knew it.

Donita's made it back to her mansion in the mountains.

I'll be right behind you, bro.

How long until the second disc is ready?

I'm gonna need about 30 minutes.

I have to reset the system before I output it.

That gives me time to test the pattern to see if you actually do follow it.

♪ I've spotted a firefly in the tall grass, flashing irregularly.

It may be injured.

I'm going in to see if everything's all right.

Yo, dude, give it to me up high.

Huh?

Whoa, is it something I said?

Wait a second, you're not the average firefly.

You're not a Photinus species.

You're a Photuris species.

Clever.

You tricked me.

You make the same flashing patterns of the female Photinus species to lure males in and eat them!

(Straining) Must stop her from trying to eat me!

AVIVA: Okay, you two, break it up, break it up.

MARTIN: Let me at her!

Martin, stay focused.

You've got thousands of fireflies to rescue.

Now, go!

To the creature rescue!

Step two complete.

Once I add the glowy bug bugs: voilà, vision accomplished.

CHRIS: Keep an eye out for Dabio.

He's always lurking around.

Don't worry, I got this.

Buckle up, I'm going in.

♪ Go, dudes, go!

Freedom for all fireflies!

All right, belly, let's start flashing.

Follow me, guys.

What's going on?

I'm using the exact pattern Blinker was.

They should be following me.

Wait a sec, that's it.

We've been working on the wrong flash pattern all along.

They're not responding to your flashing because they're all males.

We need the female flash pattern.

How could I have missed that?

Okay, improvise.

Hey, guys, follow me!

Huh?

Is it something I said?

Hey, how did you get out?

Uh-oh.

DONITA: Dabio, I leave you alone for one minute and this is what I get?

Why do bugs have to move?

Lucky for you I'm not only the beauty but I'm also the brains.

My trusty suspended animation control should do the trick.

I always could fly by the seat of my pants.

Now I've got wings.

Let's try this.

Some people just don't notice nature.

Even when it's right in front of their nose.

Ah!

(Beeping) Dabio, what is wrong with this thing?

The glow bug keeps turning it off.

What?

(Laughing) This is good.

Ugh!

Get it!

Not me, the bug!

♪ Chris, change of plans.

I'll keep her busy un til you get here to help out.

Blink, blink.

Blink, blink.

Blink, blink.

Got it!

The female glow pattern is: blink, blink, pause.

Blink, blink, pause.

Blink, blink.

Okay, Koki, can you get the lights?

Let's test it to see if it works on Blinker.

Yes, we cracked the code!

(Cheering) Oh, it can't be this easy.

Help!

(Laughing) I'm going down!

Hm, this one's different from the rest.

Because you're so unique, you will be my crowning jewel.

I'm flattered you think so.

I do try to watch what I eat and exercise daily, and-- Hey, wait a minute.

I demand you release all these fireflies so they can go back to nature flashing free and in the wild!

(Buzzing) It's a noisy one, but extra flashy.

Luciferin plus luciferase plus oxygen equals... glow!

Coming at you, Chris!

♪ I'll stay human-sized.

The brighter the glow the more lightning bugs I'll attract.

To the lightning bug rescue!

Who would have thought?

Exciting, enchanting, enlightening, and now eveningwear.

Flashtabulous!

Not flashtabulous.

Hm?

(Buzzing) Ooh, very pretty.

Tortuga, we have a problem.

Donita's put all the captured fireflies in suspended animation, including myself, and built a dress out of them.

How much time we have?

Not long.

She's almost ready to leave her mansion.

Hurry!

CHRIS: Hang in there, bro.

I' ll be there as soon as I can.

Don't move.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

You've got to hurry, CK.

If she gets into that limo and drives off, we'll lose her.

You'll never be able to keep up.

Fireflies just don't fly that fast.

Target located.

Plan C: here we go.

What is that?

Somebody stole my one-of-a-kind firefly fashion idea?

Chris Kratt?

How dare you!

Dabio, turn him off, now!

(Straining) (Beeping) ♪ (Gasping) What?

Dabio, help!

MARTIN: Keep going, bro.

It's working.

Oh yeah, we're reading the code.

Everybody head that way!

(Donita wailing) No!

My glow-rious gown!

(Laughing) Glow-rious.

Oh, I get it.

LOL.

You don't say LOL; you just laugh.

And this isn't funny.

I can't go to the party looking like this.

My evening is ruined!

Oh no, I told you bugs bug me!

MARTIN: Hey, nice job on the jailbreak.

My plan worked.

Your plan?

I had to rescue you from your plan.

That was my plan, Plan D. And you did a great job, bro.

Yeah, right.

I'll race you home.

Last one back is a slimy glow-worm.

MARTIN: I kind of thought they were cute!

Aviva, I washed my hair, like, 84 times and still can't get this color out.

AVIVA: Hey, I got two!

Nice.

How about a little catch and release, then?

Okay.

It's time to let the fireflies go.

Bye-bye, fireflies.

Be free.

That's the Wild Kratts way.

Hey, look, the fireflies are syncing up their blink patterns.

♪ They are so pretty.

Look at them fly.

Okay, why do fireflies love thunderstorms?

Because they're lightning bugs.

(Chuckling) (Laughing) One of the best things about the start of summer are the lightning bugs.

Oh, yeah, the weather's hot and just when it gets dark the fireflies start coming out.

Come on, Wild Kratts kids, let's get some fireflies!

(All chattering) Let's go find some!

MARTIN: Woo!

Oh, look, there's some.

Look for the glow.

Look at them all.

Here's one, look.

Right here.

There's a glow.

Got it!

Good job.

You have quick hands there.

There you go.

CHRIS: They like the tall grass because the females can wait down in the grass.

The males are hard to catch because they're flying.

You see one?

This is so fun.

Oh, you got it, you got it.

Okay, hey, come on over.

He's glowing a little bit.

He's flashing.

That's a nice one.

You want to put it in our container?

There.

Perfect.

We'll just keep him for a little while so we can look at him and then we'll let him go.

Come on.

CHILD: I got one!

We got another one.

CHRIS: All right!

This is so fun.

Now we can check them out and then let them go.

We've always got to put them in containers where they can breathe and you're catching them so gently.

MARTIN: The thing about them: you see them glowing, right?

And then you run up there and they stop glowing, and then you got to go find them glowing again.

CHRIS: That's good.

Those are your fireflies.

Look at them sending the signal.

Got him.

This is really fun, catching fireflies.

When you catch one, be really gentle because they're very delicate and fragile.

Okay, and then you can put the firefly inside a container that has a moist paper towel and air holes so it can breathe.

You can keep them in there for about an hour but then be sure to let them go.

Because they're all out here flashing so they can make baby fireflies.

Ready to let them go, guys?

Yeah!

Let's do it!

All right.

Goodbye, firefly.

Go free.

The fireflies are disappearing in many places, but there are things that we can do to help them.

Make sure that fireflies flash every summer.

Turn off your outside lights when lightning bugs are flashing so they can see each other's codes.

Tell your parents not to use bug killers or pesticides in your lawn.

Teach people how to catch lightning bugs without hurting them.

And always let them go so fireflies stay...

Living free and in the wild.

♪ To find out more about cool animals... And collect your own Wild Kratts Creature Powers... Go to the Wild Kratts website at pbskidsgo.org.

BOTH: We'll see you there!