Each segment in the series engages the students with a jumbled letter puzzle of the subject organisms' names. Each also shows the class characteristics displayed by the organisms and explains the different parts of their life cycles. Bug facts, demonstrations, and directions for projects are presented by the hosts. This video segment describes the colonial social behaviors of ants, their food preferences, and their life cycle. The wide diversity of ants is demonstrated with footage of specimens of honey ants, weaver ants, and leaf cutter ants.
Viewers learn that ants use pheromones to communicate with other members of their species.
The video explains the mutualistic relationships that some species of ants have with aphids and acacia trees. The teacher's guide provides background information about the ants, directions to make a formacarium, and suggested ant observations. It also contains lists of vocabulary and additional resources. ENC does NOT distribute this resource. No duplication or TV broadcast may be performed without the written consent of the producer.