It is possible to go back up the mudslide that connects the Power room in the Ant area to the giant gear drawbridge area on the dung beetle path. This skips the need to do the gear puzzle to activate the elevator at the beginning of the ant area, while also giving you a "head-start" on the dung beetle path, saving somewhere around 30-45 seconds.

First, enter the mudslide from the dung beetle path, next to the giant gear. (This needs to be done because otherwise there is a giant metal door blocking the bottom of the mudslide, which only goes away after coming in through the top. ) Once in the ant area, complete the mech ant like normal.

After completing the mech ant, return to the power room and get yourself up to the area where the gear initially spawns. Then, using a right-web fling + shooting lasers down to boost yourself, fling yourself up into the mudslide area. This loading zone is VERY finnicky. If you don't have enough speed, the load won't trigger. Try not to bonk on the walls as you're going in, and make sure to get as much speed as you can using the web + lasers shooting down.

Climb up the mudslide using lasers to boost yourself.

Also see Dung 1 Skip for the advanced version of this trick: https://www.speedrun.com/webbed/guide/8q1tn