Zap flew beneath Crunch, feeling tinier than ever next to the giant stag beetle. His antennae twitched nervously as he looked at his friendâs antlers. He could get squished at any moment! Crunch was a big beetle with a big problem â he was rubbish at flying. Gonzo the wise old grasshopper had been teaching them some flying techniques, but Crunch still had a lot to learn. Zap hoped his friend wouldnât wobble into him!
âTry to keep your antlers still when you fly,â Zap reminded him. He held his breath as Crunch headed down towards Rotten Row. Please donât crash-land, he thought. Crunch zoomed in close to the ground and stretched out his wings for balance. Yes! Crunch managed to land without falling flat on his face.
âWell done,â cried Zap. âAll that flying practice is starting to pay off.â
âThanks,â said Crunch, huffing and puffing.
Buzz the ladybird landed on a crumbling tree trunk.
âWhy does Gonzo make us practise so hard?â he said. âIâm pooped.â
âDid someone say poo?â cried Lurch, flying down to join them. âI need a new dung ball.â
Lurch the dung beetle thought about poo all the time. Zap reckoned he even dreamed about poo!
âI need a snack,â said Buzz. âFlying always makes me hungry.â
Zap hovered in the air above his three friends.
âWeâll eat after Web Patrol,â he said. âWe promised Gonzo weâd keep an eye on Spinnerâs webs.â
Spinner was Zapâs biggest enemy. The giant spider wanted to take control of the wood â and heâd stop at nothing to get his own way.
âWe havenât seen Spinner for days,â said Lurch. âPerhaps weâve scared him off.â
âSpinner wouldnât give up that easily,â said Zap. âHeâs sure to have something else planned and ââ
Zap didnât have time to finish his sentence.
âWoo-aahh!â came a cry from above.
He looked up to see Guy the gadfly speeding towards him. Zap flew quickly out of the way, as Guy landed on his back next to Buzz.
âLooks like someone else needs some flying practice,â laughed Lurch.
Guy rolled over and jumped up blinking his large, shiny green eyes.
âHi guys,â he said, speaking really quickly. âWhy arenât you at the moving-in party for the yellow ants? Theyâre setting up home beneath one of the acacia trees on the edge of the wood.â
âWhat yellow ants?â asked Zap, frowning. There had never been any yellow ants in Spinnerâs Wood.
But Guy had already sped off again. âCanât stop,â he called over his shoulder. âIâm heading back there now. The food is yummy scrummy!â
âLetâs go to the party!â cried Buzz.
Zap laughed. âI thought you were tired.â
âIâm never too tired for party food,â replied Buzz.
Zap smiled at his excited friends. âWeb Patrol first and then, party. Deal?â he said.
The Bug Buddies flew off on their rounds. They checked on Spinnerâs favourite webs. But they were either completely destroyed or full of holes. Zap hovered in the air before a torn web that was covered in dirt. Buzz came up beside him.
âPerhaps thatâs why the ants have moved in,â said Buzz, as they gazed at the ruined web. âBecause Spinner has moved out. The woodâs safe again.â
âI hope thatâs true,â replied Zap uncertainly. âBut Spinner has lived in the wood his whole life, would he really just leave?â
Lurch flew up beside them. âStop worrying,â he told Zap. âSpinnerâs gone, itâs a beautiful day and weâve a party to go to!â
Zap wanted to do one last web check, but his friends were already heading off. He flew after them, taking a final look back at the raggedy web.
Had Spinner really left the wood for good?
It wasnât hard for the Bug Buddies to find the party. They just followed the sound of excited laughter echoing off the trees.
âIt sounds like a buzzing party,â joked Buzz.
They landed beneath the acacia tree and a yellow ant immediately rushed over to them.
âThe famous Beetle Ball champions!â he cried. âIâve heard all about you.â
Zapâs antennae pricked up in surprise. âHow come?â he asked. âYouâve only just arrived in Spinnerâs Wood.â
âWeâve been talking to some of the bees,â said the ant, pointing a leg upwards.
Zap glanced up to see a group of bees hovering in the blossom of the acacia tree. âThey donât usually collect acacia pollen,â he said.
âWe told them to try it â itâs scrumptious,â the ant hurriedly explained. âWould you like some of the extra-sweet honey theyâve made?â