Requirements
1. Do the following:
(a) Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards associated with exposure
to ants and bees and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent,
mitigate, and respond to these hazards.
(b) Discuss the prevention of and treatment for health concerns that could
occur while working with ants and bees, including insect bites and anaphylactic
shock.
2. Tell how insects are different from all other animals. Show how insects are
different from centipedes
and spiders.
3. Point out and name the main parts of an insect.
4. Describe the characteristics that distinguish the principal families and orders
of insects.
5. Do the following:
(a) Observe 20 different live species of insects in their habitat. In your observations,
include at least four orders of insects.
(b) Make a scrapbook of the 20 insects you observe in 5a. Include photographs,
sketches, illustrations, and articles. Label each insect with its
common and scientific names, where possible. Share your scrapbook
with your merit badge counselor.
6. Do the following:
(a) From your scrapbook collection, identify three species of insects helpful
to humans and five species of insects harmful to humans.
(b) Discuss the use of integrated pest management vs. chemical methods of
insect control. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?
7. Explain the symbiotic relationship between bees and humankind. Explain
what colony collapse disorder (CCD) is and some of the possible causes.
Discuss how CCD affects our food supply.
8. Compare the life histories of a butterfly and a grasshopper. Tell how they
are different.
9. Raise an insect through complete metamorphosis from its larval stage to its
adult stage (e.g., raise a butterfly or moth from a caterpillar).*
10. Do ONE of the following:
(a) Observe an ant colony in a formicarium (ant farm). Find the queen and
worker ants. Explain to your counselor the different chambers found within
an ant colony.
(b) Study a hive of bees. Remove the combs and find the queen. Estimate
the amount of brood and count the number of queen cells. Explain how to
determine the amount of honey in the hive.
11. Tell things that make social insects different from solitary insects.
12. Tell how insects fit in the food chains of other insects, fish, birds,
and mammals.
13. Find out about three career opportunities in insect study. Pick one and find
out the education, training, and experience required for this profession.
Discuss this with your counselor, and explain why this profession might
interest you.
*Some insects are endangered species and are protected by federal or state law. Every species is found only in its own
special type of habitat. Be sure to check natural resources authorities in advance to be sure that you will not be collecting
any species that is known to be protected or endangered, or in any habitat where collecting is prohibited. In most
cases, all specimens should be returned at the location of capture after the requirement has been met. Check with your
merit badge counselor for those instances where the return of these specimens would not be appropriate.
Resources:
Scouting.org Merit Badges - Requirements
boyscouttrail.com Merit Badges