The unusually named Sichuan dish known as ants climbing a tree consists of glass noodles in a flavorful sauce with ground pork. The name is derived from the visual appearance of the dish, where the glass noodles represent tree branches, the chopped green onions represent leaves, and bits of ground pork represent the ants.

As glass noodles soak up the sauce quite quickly, it is recommended to add a bit more of the stock or soy sauce to the dish, according to personal preference. In Sichuan, cooks often like to add chopped fresh or dried chili into the dish, while in other parts of China and in Taiwan, the dish is not quite as spicy due to the usage of mild bean sauces.

Although not much is known about the history of the dish, ants climbing a tree remains a hearty and nutritious meal with the added bonus of its jovial name.