Minuscule: The Private Life of Insects

Overview

Short video animations giving a bird's eye view of insects' day to day existence, distorted through a burlesque, yet poetic lens.

Episodes

The Ladybug

S01E01 The Ladybug

October 25, 2006 6 min
A ladybug curtly insults a swarm of bees hanging out on a trash can. The bees start chasing the cheeky insect right away. A chase ensues above the asphalt roads while a spider who happens...
Shell Less

S01E02 Shell Less

October 25, 2006 6 min
A caterpillar finds herself by accident in the middle of litter of newly born snails. The baby snails grow and grow and the caterpillar tries really hard to fit in yet there remains an issue:...
Wasp Belle

S01E03 Wasp Belle

October 26, 2006 6 min
A wasp squadron crosses the sky performing innumerable and spectacular aerobatics. One of the wasps is intoxicated by the exciting exercise and starts leaving the formation to climb vertically all the way to the stratosphere....
Picnic

S01E04 Picnic

October 26, 2006 6 min
On a tablecloth on a picnic table a spider watches a fly stuffing herself inside a jar of jam: the insect is the ideal prey. After a few unsuccessful attempts on the part of the...
The Bridge Over the River Zzzzzeee

S01E05 The Bridge Over the River Zzzzzeee

October 27, 2006 6 min
A column of ants is faced with an impassable crack on the ground. What can they do? Following their boss’ orders the ants devise a rather original plan: they start building a plane with a...
Sleeping In

S01E06 Sleeping In

October 27, 2006 6 min
A new day is dawning and the bees inside the beehive wake up and get out to start gathering nectar on their work day. One of the bees sleeps in. Once she makes it outside...
A Snail's Dream

S01E07 A Snail's Dream

October 30, 2006 6 min
A snail is crossing an undergrowth at a snail’s pace. All of a sudden he steps on it and goes faster and faster. He flies past at full speed leaving a cloud of dust in...
The Last Supper

S01E08 The Last Supper

October 30, 2006 6 min
A group of flies is busy chasing a ladybug who just insulted them when everyone suddenly stops in front of a picnic table for a providential bite. The calculating and patient ladybug watches the flies...
Halloween Paranoid

S01E09 Halloween Paranoid

October 31, 2006 6 min
It is Halloween night. A scaredy-cat centipede is afraid of every single insect he comes across. A reversal of fortune is going to change the deal: now he can scare the life out of everyone…
Zzzeplin

S01E10 Zzzeplin

November 2, 2006 6 min
A spider is lying in wait on her web when a balloon gets caught in the branches next to her. The spider is determined to get rid of the cumbersome object and climbs on the...
Hiccups

S01E11 Hiccups

November 2, 2006 6 min
A grasshopper jumps from one branch to the next with much exactness and calculation. The finely oiled piece of mechanics is in jeopardy when the grasshopper starts having a hiccup fit and starts jumping erratically…
Nap Time

S01E12 Nap Time

November 3, 2006 6 min
A ladybug finds herself a nice and quiet spot to take a nap on a scorching hot day. She falls asleep and slips into a dream when the shrill cry of a cicada wakes her...
Catapult

S01E13 Catapult

November 3, 2006 6 min
A grasshopper is hiding in the tall green grass, having a blast using her powerful thighs to jump all over the place and bump into other dumbfounded insects. This little game goes on with complete...
The Winter of Our Discontent

S01E14 The Winter of Our Discontent

November 15, 2006 6 min
A fly is overcome by the cold winter weather and finds shelter inside a house; she rushes to the radiator to get warmer. Tough luck, as the radiator is already occupied by a starving spider...
Shell Proof Nut

S01E15 Shell Proof Nut

November 18, 2006 6 min
Our friends the little ants are faced with a major problem: how to open a nut? Luckily they don’t lack original ideas and find all sorts of extravagant ways to complete their mission…
Dragonflies

S01E16 Dragonflies

November 25, 2006 6 min
These dragonflies make such a terrible racket! They are noisy and force their own rules on whoever comes near. A ladybug is determined to see justice done and starts provoking them in order to pull...
Lettuce

S01E17 Lettuce

December 2, 2006 6 min
A little caterpillar hangs out on a salad. Everything is going smoothly in her life when all of a sudden: danger’s lurking! She spots a snail slowly but surely coming towards her. Our caterpillar has...
A Bee's Night Out

S01E18 A Bee's Night Out

December 16, 2006 6 min
A little bee moves too far away from the hive, gets lost and has to spend the night out. The little scared insect has only one idea in mind: finding her way back home…
Windswept

S01E19 Windswept

December 23, 2006 6 min
A fly is taking a nice stroll inside a living room in a house. A spider is laying in wait and starts chasing her, but the fly uses a fan to thwart her plans…
O Tannenbaum

S01E20 O Tannenbaum

December 23, 2006 6 min
A fly keeps trying to land on the branches of a Christmas tree but this spider is hell-bent of gobbling her up. The exasperated fly soon comes up with an original and unexpected stratagem to...
Come Christmas

S01E21 Come Christmas

December 24, 2006 6 min
It is snowing outside. A mosquito finds shelter inside a house with the intention of getting warmer in front of the fireplace. Typical Christmassy atmosphere with the tree and the piles of gifts. Another mosquito...
The Quest For The Pink Lollipop

S01E22 The Quest For The Pink Lollipop

December 30, 2006 6 min
A colony of ants comes across a pink lollipop. They take it along with them in the twinkling of an eye. A fly squadron views the scene unfavourably and endeavours to retrieve the lollipop from...
Caterpillar Dream

S01E23 Caterpillar Dream

December 31, 2006 6 min
A caterpillar watches various flying insects from her observation spot on a shrub. She would like to fly too. Well, that’s when day-dreaming comes in handy…
No Luck

S01E24 No Luck

January 6, 2007 6 min
Interior house. A little hairy spider tirelessly chases a fly who easily thwarts her plans. Who said spiders were pea-brains?
Ugly

S01E25 Ugly

January 7, 2007 6 min
Everyone if filled with admiration for the sublime caterpillar showing off on the podium like a top model. Nature follows its course and pretty soon the caterpillar turns into a chrysalis… and into an appeal-deprived...
Narcissus

S01E26 Narcissus

January 13, 2007 6 min
A beetle comes across a piece of mirror and discovers his own reflection. What an amazing discovery! Our beetle spends all his time admiring his own image when the mirror disappears! Our little narcissus starts...
The Dung Beetle Battle

S01E27 The Dung Beetle Battle

February 25, 2007 6 min
A dung beetle is busy pushing his piece of dung methodically when he is passed by another dung beetle pushing a bigger ball. The very sight drives him mad. A ridiculous competition takes place between...
Ladybugs

S01E28 Ladybugs

February 25, 2007 6 min
A group of dragonflies make a stop to refresh at a watering place when a projectile falls in the puddle and splashes them. Who’s playing games with them? Must be the ladybug!
United We Stand

S01E29 United We Stand

March 4, 2007 6 min
A fly enters a plastic bottle and finds herself imprisoned inside. A second fly shows up and joins her inside, then another one, and another one. Curiosity killed the cat. Our flies have no choice...
Totem

S01E30 Totem

March 4, 2007 6 min
A column of ants finds a cell phone in an undergrowth and carries it back to the anthill. The phone is propped up vertically like a divinity and whether is rings or lights up the...
Convoy

S01E31 Convoy

April 15, 2007 6 min
A bee wakes up everyone in the hive in the middle of nap break and demands that they follow her. The bees form a compact convoy and follow her to a garden table with an...
City Caterpillar Butterfly Of The Fields

S01E32 City Caterpillar Butterfly Of The Fields

April 15, 2007 6 min
A little green caterpillar is stressed out by the pace of life and decides to take a rest. She hops on public transportation and reaches the countryside… where she can finally turn into a butterfly…
Insect High Velocity

S01E33 Insect High Velocity

April 22, 2007 6 min
A show-off dragonfly annoys everyone with her back-firing engine. She suddenly comes across a serious contender: a wasp provokes her with her humming cylinders. The chase starts…
The Good Education

S01E34 The Good Education

April 22, 2007 6 min
A mother ladybug teaches her babies the things of the world.
Ants

S01E35 Ants

June 30, 2007 10.0 6 min
Ants steal a box of lump sugar from a garden table. Later on, after escaping the wheels of many cars while crossing the road the ants try to fit the box in their anthill. No...
Caterpillars in Pairs

S01E36 Caterpillars in Pairs

June 30, 2007 6 min
Two caterpillars (a big yellow one and a small green one) are looking for a love nest. We later get a glimpse of the fruit of their union: a big yellow egg and a small...
Cicada's Song

S01E37 Cicada's Song

July 1, 2007 6 min
A column of ants goes back and forth under the scorching sun to carry goods. Up on a branch cicadas watch the convoy and sing. With each new trip one of the ants looks more...
Yellow

S01E38 Yellow

July 1, 2007 6 min
This centipede is the biggest coward to be crawling the face of the earth, everything scares him to death: a falling leaf, the faintest noise and so on. When the thunder storm starts brewing he...
The Wild Bunch

S01E39 The Wild Bunch

July 7, 2007 6 min
A ladybug tirelessly challenges a group of flies, then a second group, then another. The flies join forces during the chase and form a humongous swarm. The ladybug gloats: now you’re talking!
The Caterpillar and the Brook

S01E40 The Caterpillar and the Brook

July 7, 2007 6 min
A caterpillar is indulging in the gluttonous chewing of all the leaves on top of a bush. Once the branches are entirely bare, the caterpillar spots another luxuriant bush in the distance. As we all...
Cowardly Coward

S01E41 Cowardly Coward

July 8, 2007 6 min
A coward centipede has a hard time mustering his strength to cross the road because of all the passing cars. After a few failed attempts on his part another braver snail crosses the road, slowly...
A Gust of Wind

S01E42 A Gust of Wind

July 8, 2007 6 min
The wind is picking up on the plain and the insects have a hard time dealing with all the elements unleashing around them. A small fly and a spider are trying to resist being shaken...
The Persevering One

S01E43 The Persevering One

July 14, 2007 6 min
Who said spiders don’t persevere? A little spider is strongly determined to catch a groggy fly who just got into an accident and decides to launch a courageous assault. Never before seen chase on dry...
Horsefly

S01E44 Horsefly

July 14, 2007 6 min
A ladybug is having a great time getting a rise out of a group of flies she is insulting profusely. The flies react in the twinkling of an eye and start chasing the ladybug who...
Chewing Gum

S01E45 Chewing Gum

July 15, 2007 6 min
A nosy fly glues herself on a piece of chewing gum on the asphalt. How will she manage to get rid of her sticky and cumbersome load?
The Caterpillar Who Wanted to See the Ocean

S01E46 The Caterpillar Who Wanted to See the Ocean

July 15, 2007 6 min
By sheer chance a little green caterpillar comes across a piece of newspaper strewn on the ground. The puzzled insect stares at a black and white picture: it is a beautiful sunset on a pretty...
Infernal Anthill

S01E47 Infernal Anthill

July 21, 2007 6 min
What happens when two ant colonies start competing to build the most beautiful anthill? Each colony performs in a different architectural style and gives free rein to their wildest imagination until they start defying the...
The Apple Of Concord

S01E48 The Apple Of Concord

July 21, 2007 6 min
Two caterpillars live in two separate apples on an apple tree. All of a sudden human beings turn up and start picking the fruits, taking with them one of the two caterpillars in their baskets....
Rosy

S01E49 Rosy

July 22, 2007 6 min
It’s a busy day outside the anthill. One ant tries to carry inside heteroclite and flashy objects but the boss won’t let him in. It’s never easy to stand out in a conformist world…
It Never Rains But It Pours

S01E50 It Never Rains But It Pours

July 22, 2007 6 min
These are hard times for the little snails because of the drought. One snail seems to have found a solution and induces his fellow creatures to follow him. The snails set out on an incredible...
A Rolling Snail Gathers No Moss

S01E51 A Rolling Snail Gathers No Moss

July 28, 2007 6 min
In a kindergarten, a few snails move up at a snail’s pace along a metal surface. The journey lasts for quite a while. The snails eventually reach the top of a playground slide and enjoy...
Sleepless Night

S01E52 Sleepless Night

July 28, 2007 6 min
One night a moth encounters a butterfly. The moth falls in love instantly and when the dawn breaks he must fight sleep in order to woo his lady. Is their love impossible?
Cicada Do Brazil

S01E53 Cicada Do Brazil

July 29, 2007 6 min
Unlike her fellow creatures one little cicada has Brazilian strains to her music whenever she “sings”. The scene takes place in Provence and the cultural clash is hard to deal with. However the cicadas will...
The Right Seed

S01E54 The Right Seed

July 29, 2007 6 min
A ladybug is looking for a seed, finds it and plants it. A little fruit tree grows and our ladybug carefully chooses a fruit he gives as a present to a female ladybug…
The Zzzzz Patrol

S01E55 The Zzzzz Patrol

August 4, 2007 6 min
A ladybug is awoken in the middle of her nap by a wasp squadron busy flying about, looping the loop and breaking the sound barrier. The ladybug cannot take it any longer and starts insulting...
Goofing Off

S01E56 Goofing Off

August 4, 2007 6 min
A column of ants is busy carrying small rocks towards their anthill. One of the ants repeatedly leaves the work site to take a nap. Yet the foreman keeps an eye on him and wakes...
Torpedo

S01E57 Torpedo

August 5, 2007 6 min
A mosquito dips his sting in a jar of mustard, causing an immediate and spectacular result: he takes off like a rocket. Our mosquito soon turns into a mad jackhammer…
No Exit

S01E58 No Exit

August 25, 2007 6 min
A bee enters a large house through an open door. Suddenly the humans leave the house and lock the bee inside. She’ll do anything to recover her freedom…
King Size Camembert

S01E59 King Size Camembert

August 11, 2007 6 min
A little yellow spider finds all sorts of incredible tricks to catch a fly on the picnic tablecloth. The solution may very well be in the box of camembert cheese yet an unexpected event thwarts...
Hyperactive

S01E60 Hyperactive

August 11, 2007 6 min
A hyperactive baby ladybug eludes her parents’ attention and gets herself into a lot of trouble when she starts provoking a group of bees who immediately chase her. Our baby ladybug is finally out of...
A Cruel World

S01E61 A Cruel World

August 12, 2007 6 min
A centipede finds a full pack of chips in an undergrowth. Lucky day, he has so much to eat now! Our centipede is frightened, though, how can he deal with his enemies: should he eat...
Interior Cobwebs

S01E62 Interior Cobwebs

August 12, 2007 6 min
Three spiders are busy spinning their webs inside a trendy apartment. Lazy and numb atmosphere. A big fly suddenly shows up. One of the spiders starts chasing her… mishaps happen so easily…
The Mosquito

S01E63 The Mosquito

August 18, 2007 6 min
A mosquito is trapped inside a living room and is forced cohabite with the native in the house. The domino effect is triggered and it’s just the beginning of an avalanche of very unpleasant surprises…
The Escapist

S01E64 The Escapist

August 18, 2007 6 min
Three little flies have been trapped by a spider who wrapped them up neatly inside tight cocoons. The three flies have no intention to become the spider’s dinner and will do anything to escape…
Out Of a Tin Can

S01E65 Out Of a Tin Can

August 19, 2007 6 min
A spider is using a tin can as a trap device. A fly keeps approaching the danger zone but never falls into the spider’s trap; she plays a little game of hide-and-seek instead. Against all...
Bananas

S01E66 Bananas

August 19, 2007 6 min
A column of ants is making its way into a kitchen to steal lumps of sugar when one of the ants goes off on her own to try and pinch a banana inside a salad...
Bless You

S01E67 Bless You

August 25, 2007 6 min
It’s cold and damp outside. A spider has a raging cold and won’t stop sneezing, which is a real impediment when it comes to hunting. She chases a fly tirelessly but the repetitive sneezing makes...
Noodle Battle

S01E68 Noodle Battle

August 25, 2007 6 min
A spider and a fly are fighting over a piece of spaghetti left on a plate. They chase one another around, play a tricky game of hide-and-seek to try and win the miserable tiny piece...
Mad Fly

S01E69 Mad Fly

August 26, 2007 6 min
In a small village in Provence a little fly bumps against a shutter. The shock makes her a little “crazy” and she starts crashing against bells and car hoods to trigger off all the alarms...
A Mosquito Day Afternoon

S01E70 A Mosquito Day Afternoon

August 26, 2007 6 min
A mosquito is having a blast on the record player in the living room, going round and round. The dizzy mosquito takes off and triggers a series of spectacular disasters…
Some Weird Fly

S01E71 Some Weird Fly

September 1, 2007 6 min
A fly approaches a cow in a field and is welcome with a tail slap right in the face. The fly is groggy and starts convulsing. The crazy fly becomes hyper and aggressive and starts...
On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!

S01E72 On Your Mark, Get Set, Go!

September 1, 2007 6 min
A bee, a wasp, a dragonfly and a ladybug are on the starting line, ready for the race. The last competitor, namely a snail, shows up late. The race starts and as the saying goes...
Leech

S01E73 Leech

September 2, 2007 6 min
A ladybug is losing patience: a snail keeps clinging to her, begging to be her friend. The ladybug keeps taking off and leaving the snail behind. He shows up inexorably everywhere she goes…
Jump Jump Jump

S01E74 Jump Jump Jump

September 2, 2007 6 min
Two grasshoppers – a big one and a small one – start a silly competition to determine who is the best jumper. They can’t decide who’s the strongest and start jumping as high as the...
Dung Beetle Blues

S01E75 Dung Beetle Blues

June 21, 2008 6 min
Our dung beetle has no sense of geometry and is unable to turn his piece of dung into a round-shaped ball. The vexed little insect will instead choose anything that looks more or less like...
Quiet

S01E76 Quiet

June 21, 2008 6 min
Interior kitchen. The faucet is trickling above the sink. The continuous “splash splash splash” is driving a spider nuts. She musters up her courage to put an end to the torture…
Cherry Tomato

S01E77 Cherry Tomato

June 21, 2008 6 min
A fly pinches a little cherry tomato and flies away with it. The tomato feels really heavy, and it should; a sly ladybug is hanging on to the fruit like a dead weight. The fly...
Love Story

S01E78 Love Story

August 1, 2008 9.0 6 min
Much to her surprise a ladybug notices that all the insects around her get in pairs and start kissing. The ladybug eventually realizes it is the mating season. Why couldn’t she find her soul mate...

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