Ancient Forest
The Ancient Forest is just east of Cosmo Canyon. You can't reach it until you either defeat Ultimate WEAPON, or you've bred a Gold Chocobo. The earlier you can get here, the more worthwhile the items are. For instance, Cloud can obtain his Apocalypse sword here, but if he already has his ultimate weapon, the Ultima Weapon, he's already defeated the Ultimate WEAPON.
The Ancient Forest is one huge puzzle where you must figure out how to use the frogs, insects, and other items to get through the path. You can pick up frogs and insects and move them to various locations. Placing them in the right spot initiates an interaction with something. Insects can be used to close pitcher flowers and to lure out frogs. Frogs can shut pitcher flowers, and then launch you to new areas as they bust out.
Insects
When placed in a pitcher flower, the flower shuts and creates a step or bridge. The flower reopens after digesting the insect; the insect will no longer appear in that area. Insects can also be sacrificed to lure a frog out of a hollow tree. When a flower or a frog eats an insect, it won't reappear until you leave and reenter the area.
Mutant Flytrap
These snapping flowers can injure Cloud and his companions. Most of the time, you can work your way around or over a flytrap, but sometimes you'll need to beehave to shut it's yap.
Frogs
You can place frogs in pitcher flowers just like insects, but the flowers can't digest frogs. After a few seconds inside a flower, the captured frog bursts out. If Cloud is standing on the flower when the frog breaks free, he gets catapulted to areas he may not normally be able to reach.
Stamen
The springy, pink staman can be used to fling Cloud to a different area or a higher ledge. They're often the best way over an obstacle.
Beehives
Throwing a beehive into a mutant flytrap is the only way to get the flytrap to shut its jaws. Unlike frogs and insects, beehives remain inside flytraps until you leave the area.
Hollow Trees
By placing an insect in frong of a hollow tree, you can lure out a frog. Each tree only contains one frog.
Picher Flower
Pitcher flowers can capture insects and fgos inside their petals. While holding a victim, the flower's lid creates a step or bridge that Cloud can use to reach far-off areas. Insects are eventually digested and removed from the area, but frogs jump out of the flower after a few seconds.
Area 1:
Monsters: Diablo, Rifsak, Epilonis
Items: Sprign Gun Clip, Supershot ST
Pick up the three insects near the start and move them all to the area near the pitcher flowers. After you gather them, place each one of a pitcher flower to make a gridge to the other side. You must place one insect in the pitcher flower and then stand on the closed pitcher flower to place the next insect. To get the item from the mutant flytrap, approach it from the right and barely step on it. You should be able to pick up the Supershot ST without alarming the flytrap.
Area 2:
Items: "Slash-All" Materia, Minerva Band
Pick up an insect and then jump to the high ledge. Lay the insect down on the left so that it jumps into the pitcher flower. If a frog eats the insect, place the frog into the pitcher flower and use the flower bridge to reach the opposite side.
Once across, pick up the nearby frog and put it in the left pitcher flower. Then stand on top of the flower until the frog pops out. The resulting force throws Cloud onto the high ledge to the left, where he can pick up a large beehive. Take the beehive and set it just left of the mutant flytrap, which should cause it to pop right into the middle of the flytrap causing it to shut. You can now grab the "Slash-All" Materia on the right side of the flytrap. Pick the frog back up and put it in the right pitcher flower, and then have Cloud stand on the flower until he's thrown to the right.
Area 3:
Items: "Typoon" Materia
Pick up the two insects and put them in the picther flowers so Cloud can reach the springy stamen. This puts him deep in the forest's canopy. Follow the limps up and all the way to the right to find the "Typoon" Materia.
Go back all the way to the left and climb down the limb to Area 2 and to the item that was inaccessible before, the Minerva Band. To return to Area 3, you need to hop down and use the frog trick again.
Make your way back to the treetops and go about halfway to the right. Walk behind the broken limb just before the three springy stamens and you'll find a path that leads back down to Area 3.
Place an insect in the open pitcher flower to reach the beehive. Put the beehive in the mutant flytrap the same way you did in Area 2 and then use the second insect to reach the left area again. Grab an insect and put it in front of the hollow tree to lure out a frog. Leave the frog for a moment and go grab the other insect in this area. Put that insect in the pitcher flower to the right, and then grab the frog and hop back to the right side.
Run to teh right and set the frog down near the rightmost pitcher flower so that it jumps inside. Stand on the flower until the frog bursts out so taht Cloud is thrown to the cave on the right.
Area 4:
Items: Apocalypse, Elixir
There are no puzzles inside the cave, just a couple of easy-to-get items. Exit the top of the cave to leave the forest.