NAME:____________________________ TROOP NUMBER: ______________

CITY: _____________________________ TELEPHONE NO. _______________

Requirement

1. Tell how insects are different from all other animals. Show the differences between insects, centipedes, and spiders.

Characteristics of Arthropods

- exoskeleton

- jointed appendages

- cold blooded

Describe the characteristics of insects, centipedes, and spiders.

Character	Insects	Centipedes	Spiders
Body regions
Legs
Wings
Antennae
Eyes

2. Point out and name the main parts of an insect.

Draw a grasshopper and label the main parts.

3. Collect and mount 50 different species. Include 6 orders and 18 families of insects. Label each with common and scientific names, where possible.

Learn how to use a sweep net, aerial net, aquatic net and explain the difference.

Build a kill jar. Almost any jar will do, just add a tissue paper and a few drops of nail polish remover.

Learn how to pin different insects. Use a pinning block. Spread a butterfly or moth using a spreading board.

Write labels neatly and tiny. Follow the examples.

TEXAS: Palo Pinto Co.
Worth Ranch, BSA Camp
26 / VI / 1996
Joe E. Scout

Honeybee
Apis mellifera L.
taken on wildflowers

Learn some special collecting techniques.

Collect under lights at night. Black lights are best.

Place out pitfall traps. Use a little soap in water or just bait.

Sugar baits can be used in traps or painted on trees at night.

Use a flash light on your forehead to find spiders at night.

Use the materials in the insect study merit badge to identify insects. Also use other books.

4. Describe the things that distinguish each of the families and orders in your collection.

Order	Description	Example
Coleoptera
Hymenoptera
Lepidoptera
Diptera
Siphonaptera
Neuroptera
Hemiptera
Homoptera
Orthoptera
Odonata
Isoptera
Ephemerida

5. Show your collection.

This can be done at a local scout event or even in a Troop meeting.

6. Compare the life histories of a butterfly and a grasshopper. Tell how they are different.

Metamorphosis: change in form through time.

Name the stages of development.

Stage	Grasshopper	Butterfly
1
2
3
4

They are different because:

Name the immature stage for the following insects 

Immature	Adult
	Grasshopper
	Stink bug
	Dragonfly
	Beetle
	House fly
	Yellowjacket
	Butterfly

7. Raise a butterfly or moth from a caterpillar.

Collect your own caterpillar. Look on trees, vegetable gardens or landscape plants. Keep it in a jar with sand on the bottom and fresh leaves from the plant you collected it on. Add a stick for a place to form a cocoon. The caterpillar may form a cocoon or chrysalis on the plant or it may pupate in the soil. Be patient, it may take weeks or months before they develop to adults. A simple rearing container can be made with a plastic gallon jug, just cut the top off and cover with netting. You can push the jug into the leg of pantyhose which serves as netting.

8. Tell the things that make social insects different from solitary insects.

Solitary Insects	Social Insects

9. Collect and watch an ant colony or beehive. Tell what you saw.

Harvester ants or fire ants are easy to find and can be used. A gallon jar will work but it is best to keep the jar in the dark to get burrows near the glass. Be sure to keep it out of direct sunlight which may cause it to overheat.

What did you see?

10. From your collection, identify:

Use the materials in the insect study merit badge to identify insects. Also use other books.

a. Four species of insects helpful to people. Tell how they are helpful.

List the four species that are helpful to people.

1. ________________________

2. ________________________

3. ________________________

4. ________________________

b. Six species of harmful insects. Tell how they can be controlled.

Species and control

1. ___________________________________________________________

2. ___________________________________________________________

3. ___________________________________________________________

4. ___________________________________________________________

5. ___________________________________________________________

6. ___________________________________________________________

11. Tell how insects fit into the food chains of other insects, fish, birds, and mammals.

_________________________________

Good luck with your insect merit badge!

John A. Jackman, Scoutmaster Troop 802

Please feel free to call. (409) 845-7027 or email to: j-jackman@tamu.edu