Inside Scoop on the Private Lives of Ants : Family: The video ‘Little Creatures Who Run the World’ profiles the many varieties and survival techniques of the insect.

Do you think bug spray when you see ants? Before you reach for the bug spray, consider: Those creepy crawlers invading your kitchen are a remarkable example of social and military order--and survival. They’ve been around tens of millions of years longer than humans.

Ages 8 and up can get the fascinating inside scoop on the private lives of ants in “Little Creatures Who Run the World,” a new home video from the PBS series “Nova,” that includes a do-it-yourself ant farm.

The photography, often from an ant’s perspective, is mind-boggling, as are the sheer number and variety of ants. Viewers will find themselves inside underground ant colonies, in ant hills and trees, or on the march, scavenging for food or fighting off intruders.

Not all ants are fighters. Some are “dairy farmers,” tending herds of tiny bugs that supply them with nectar in return for care and protection. Others exist in partnerships with plants. A Harvard professor provides historical and biological context. One caveat: The driver ants’ fearsome food-gathering is not for the faint-hearted.

Other videos in the series include “Daredevils of the Sky,” a visit with stunt pilots; “Ancestors: In Search of Human Origins,” about the “missing link” between man and ape; and “This Old Pyramid,” about the mysteries of Egypt’s ancient pyramids. Each video comes with a related science kit.

* ‘Little Creatures Who Run the World,” Nova Adventures in Science, WGBH, $19.95; (800) 255-9424.

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Celebrating Yiddish Culture: “Yiddishkayt: A Family Festival in English & Yiddish,” at the Valley Cities Jewish Community Center in Sherman Oaks, kicks off Sept. 16 with an evening of entertainment featuring Leonard Nimoy, the Ellis Island Klezmer Band, singer Lisa Wanamaker and other performers.

Then, on Sept. 17, an all-day, free festival for families will include storytelling with KPFK’s Uncle Ruthie, the We Tell Stories theater troupe and Karen Golden, sing-alongs, craft workshops, a klezmer concert, videos of classic Yiddish films, curated by Times film critic Kenneth Turan, and lots of food.

You don’t have to be Jewish, or speak Yiddish, to attend. Everyone is welcome, said Aaron Paley, festival producer.

“Yiddish is more than just some funny words,” he said. “It’s more than just bagels and stand-up comedians, more than ‘Fiddler on the Roof.’ I think people will be surprised at how much Yiddish culture has contributed to American culture and how rich and vital the Yiddish culture is.

“As the generation of people who came to this country from Eastern Europe and who spoke Yiddish gradually dies out,” he added, “it becomes more important to have some kind of connection with that culture. That’s why we created a family festival. I felt that it was important to make a statement that Yiddish is alive, that it has a tremendous amount to give to young people, children and families.”

* “Yiddishkayt: A Family Festival in English & Yiddish,” Valley Cities Jewish Community Center, 13164 Burbank Blvd., Sherman Oaks. Gala concert: Sept. 16, 8 p.m., $12; (213) 466-1767. Family festival: Sept. 17, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., free. Information: (213) 962-1976, (818) 786-6310.