Roland Kessler
This story takes place deep in the Great Forest where people are rarely seen. The inhabitants of this land called Bug-A-Boos may be bothered from time to time by animals like lizards or bears but most of the time the bugs who live in this story go about then-own business of getting food, building homes or arguing or fighting with each other. Bug -A- Boos is a community much like the ones people create, although on a much smaller scale.Ralph the Drone is the main character in this story. He is an unusual bee because he is not simply a worker bee; he is a thinking bee who is concerned over threats to the well being of all of the bugs. It was that characteristic which got Ralph in trouble because he openly disagreed with a plan for handling a drought which was announced by the Monarch, the leader of all the bugs. Ralph found himself banished to the land of the fire ants for daring to suggest a better approach.This proved to be fortunate because Ralph and two friends who joined him, Milllie the Moth and Chuck the Chub, overheard the fire ant's leader,General G, planning an attack on Bug-A-Boos and recommended a way to counter the attack. The plan worked and the fire ants were turned back. Ralph was still held in disdain, however.The leader of the fire ants, General G, was not the type of bug that would give up easily. He also vowed to get even with Ralph the Drone and made a pact with the evil Ann Mantis to capture Ralph. She was more than pleased to help General G because of her long standing hate of Ralph.When Ralph is captured by the fire ants, it appears the peaceful community of Bug-A-Boos and its incompetent leader, the Monarch, will at last fall prey to the fire ants.