Scouting/BSA/Insect Study Merit Badge

Requirement 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. Requirement 2 Tell how insects are different from all other animals. Show the differences between insects, centipedes, and spiders. Insects Segmented bodies (head/thorax/abdomen) Antennae Compound eyes 100px Excretory and Reproductive systems are on the abdomen; excretion directly effects osmoregulation An exoskeleton made of chitin Six segmented legs Centipedes 15-173 segments Mostly nocturnal 100px Spiders Eight-legged Produce silk No wings 100px Two body segments (cephalothorax/abdomen) Requirement 3 Point out and name the main parts of an insect. Requirement 4 Describe the characteristics that distinguish the principal families and orders of insects. Requirement 5 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. Orders (all)Subclass ApterygotawinglessSymphypleona - globular springtailsArchaeognatha (jumping bristletails)long body that tapers at dorsal end, body covered in small scales, many-segmented antennae, three cerci (middle one largest) SymphypleonaDicondyliaThysanura (common bristletails)long antennae, long body tapered in middle, three cerci of equal length, outer two extending away from body, small compound eyes or eyeless SymphypleonaSubclass Pterygotawinged (or "secondarily wingless")Ephemeroptera (mayflies)freshwater insects, brief adult lifeOdonata (dragonflies and damselflies)catch prey in flight, two pairs of independent wings, long tails, large round heads with large eyesBlattodea (cockroaches)thorax covered by a plate (pronotum), chewing mouthparts, flat, oval shapeMantodea (mantids)hardened forewings, long, slender body, triangular head with distinctive ocelliIsoptera (termites)social insects that eat wood, antennae as long as headZorapteraGrylloblattodeaDermaptera (earwigs)large wings folded under short, leathery wingsPlecoptera (stoneflies)Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, katydids)incomplete metamorphosisPhasmatodea (walking sticks, timemas)hardened forewings which cover hind wings, filiform antennaeEmbioptera (webspinners)front tarsi large, contains silk glands, short legs, 2 short cerci, unequal in length in femalesMantophasmatodea (gladiators)Psocoptera (booklice, barklice)soft bodies, large heads with protruding eyesPhthiraptera (lice)wingless parasitesHemiptera (true bugs)piercing and sucking mouthpieces present throughout life cycleThysanoptera (thrips)fringed wingsMegaloptera (alderflies, dobsonflies, etc.)2 pairs of equal wings, held over the head when at rest, filiform antennae which taper to the endRaphidioptera (snakeflies)Neuroptera (net-veined insects)four membranous, veiny wings, chewing mouthparts, forewings and hindwings are the same sizeColeoptera (beetles)forewings are hard shellsStrepsiptera (twisted-winged parasites)insect parasitesMecoptera (scorpionflies, etc.)long antennae, mandibulate mouthparts located at the end of a beak-like projectionSiphonaptera (fleas)parasites of mammal or bird blood, enlarged hind legs, strong tarsal clawsDiptera (true flies)hind wings are halteres, large compound eyes, short antennaeTrichoptera (caddisflies)two unequal pairs of wings, covered in fine hairs and held over the abdomen at rest, reduced mouthpartsLepidoptera (butterflies, moths)four stage lifecycle, one ocelli above each eyeHymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps, etc.)females have hardened ovipositor, mostly social insects Families (not all)CicadidaeCicadas; eyes set far apart, well-veined wingsFroghopper Cercopidaefroghoppers; larvae produce a protective covering with plant sapPsyllidaeJumping plant lice; mouthparts located at rear of headCupedidaeSquare pattern of "windows" on elytraAnopluraSucking liceRhyncophthirinaMouthparts adapted to pierce thick elephant and warthog skinIschnoceraAvian parasitesAmblyceraDo not permanently attach to hostsCulicidaeMosquitoes; mouthparts adapted to pierce skin and suck bloodHeliomyzidaeSun fliesLauxanidaeSyrphidaeHoover fliesGeometridaeLoopers; forewings broad and triangular, hind wings almost equal, rest all day with wings outstretched and flatNoctuidaeNoctuids, cutworms, armyworms; eyes reflect orange light, nocturnalPyralidaePyralid moths; long legs, proboscis covered in scales and beak-likeLycaenidaeBlues, coppers, hairstreaks; mostly with flattened antennal clubNymphalidaeAdmirals, browns, fritillaries; small, hairy forelegs, long hind legsPieridaeWhites, yellows; VespidaeSocial wasps and potter wasps; wings folded longitudinally over body when at restFormicidaeAnts; wingless, with elbowed antennae and a long scapeApidaeBees; have hairy legs and pollen baskets, mouthparts specialized into tonguesIchneumonidaeIchneumon wasps; long, thin ovipositorPergidaeSawflies; do not have the wasp waist, ovipositor saw-likeSphecidaeSand wasps and mud daubers; mostly solitaryPompilidaeSpider wasps; flick wings while hunting, move using short hops Requirement 6 Compare the life histories of a butterfly and a grasshopper. Tell how they are different. Requirement 7 Raise an insect through complete metamorphosis from its larval stage to its adult stage (eg, raise a butterfly or moth from a caterpillar). Requirement 8 Observe an ant colony or a beehive. Tell that you saw. Requirement 9 Tell the things that make social insects different from solitary insects. Requirement 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. Requirement 11 From your collection, identify four species of insects helpful to humans and six species of insects harmful to humans. Describe some general methods of insect control. Requirement 12 Tell how insects fit in the food chains of other insects, fish, birds, and mammals. External links with Workbook PDF, current requirements, and resources.