The 1890s; a picnic in the park. A man is pitching woo to his girl, while behind them a steady stream of ants is methodically devouring and carting off their food. Some other interludes include four ants eating Russian rye bread, then breaking for a Russian dance; a torch singer that sends everyone scurrying for some kind of ear plugs; a chef ant that coordinates the creation of three sandwiches that the humans eat.
On behalf of "oppressed bugs everywhere," an inventive ant named Flik hires a troupe of warrior bugs to defend his bustling colony from a horde of freeloading grasshoppers led by the evil-minded Hopper.
A platoon of ants set out to save their community in the midst of a severe drought, but the hilariously inept Arnie and Barney – who are not cut out for heroics – decide to tackle the problem themselves.
After being put on indefinite leave by his chief of police uncle, the highly intelligent and arrogant huntsman spider Inspector Sun boards a San Francisco bound seaplane.
Giovanni used to be a humble, mild-mannered government clerk whose life was turned upside down when he met Giulio, a notorious forger who at once set about manipulating the over-confident man.
Maggi continues her forever-ever efforts to crash Manhattan's top society, while Jiggs still mingles with his old construction cronies at the bar of Dinty Moore on 10th Avenue.
A virtuous Spanish princess becomes queen of Portugal, and soon is affected by the social struggles and the reckless fight to power between the king's faction and that of his son's.