Flik, the ever-helpful but misfit ant, lives on Ant Island with his colony. He's an inquisitive sort who's always working on different inventions to try to make life better for his fellow ant. Our story begins in the latter part of the summer, as the ants of Ant Island are working hard to put together enough food to last them through the winter. In addition to their own supplies, the ants are also forced to set aside a food offering for an evil gang of grasshoppers who threaten to "squash" them if they don't. When the grasshopper's yearly offering is accidently destroyed by one of Flik's inventions, the grasshoppers are furious and demand payment in full before the last leaf falls on Ant Island's tree--or else. Flik feels that they shouldn't have to pay tribute to the grasshoppers year after year and he heads off to the "big city" to find some big bugs who'll help fight off the grasshoppers. Help comes from a strange corner but Flik has a daring plan to defeat the grasshoppers once and for all.