A new exhibition at the Canadian Museum of Nature featuring ants almost didn't happen after the subjects of the show were temporarily lost on the tarmac in Toronto.

The special travelling exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution in the U.S. looks at the hidden life of ants.

The exhibit includes terrariums housing live honey-pot and harvester ants.

This is the first time the exhibit makes a stop in Canada.

The Hidden Life of Ants exhibit at the Museum of Nature has a couple of glass containers filled with live ants. (CBC)

Stuart Baatnes is the live animal care technician for the Museum of Nature and brought the ants in from Arizona.

"The moment of panic came when I got on my connecting flight, the ants didn't actually make it on my plane," said Baatnes.

"Luckily someone at the airport realized that there were ants outside." He said that person brought them inside to the warmth.

Ants have painful venom

The exhibition, Farmers, Warriors, Builders: The Hidden Life of Ants, is now ready for its Canadian debut.

The harvester ants, in addition to being adept at gathering food, are also known for their venom.

"They have the most toxic venom of any insect in North America," said Baatnes.

Eight-year-old Hannah Lie got a sneak peek of the exhibit.

"The ants in their tunnels and pictures of them up close ... it's cool," said Lie.

The Hidden Life of Ants features large-format photos by photographer Mark W. Moffett shot with a macro lens.

The photos show ants hunting, communicating, dealing with disease and managing agriculture.

It will be on display from Friday July 26 until January 5, 2014.