Requirements September 1987 until September 1993

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

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

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

4. Describe the things that distinguish the principal families and orders of insects.

5. Show your collection.

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

7. Raise a butterfly or moth from a caterpillar.

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

9. Observe an ant colony or a beehive. Tell what you saw.

10. From you collection, identify:

(a) Four species of insects helpful to humans.  Tell how they are helpful.
(b) Six species of insects harmful to humans.  Describe some general methods of insect control.

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

NOTE:  Under the Endangered Species Act of 1973, some insects are or may be protected by federal law.  The same ones and/or others may be protected by state law.  Before doing any collecting, be sure that you know which may be on both lists and be sure that you do not collect protected species.

Requirements September 1993 until June 1994.

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

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

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

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

5. Show your collection.

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

7. Raise a butterfly or moth from a caterpillar.

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

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

10. From your collection, identify:

(a) Four species of insects helpful to people. Tell how they are helpful.
(b) Six species of harmful insects. Tell how they can be controlled.

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

*Some insects are endangered species and are protected by federal or state law. Be sure to check in advance to make sure that anything you collect is not protected.

Requirements June 1994 until January 2003

1. Tell how insects are different from all other animals. Show the differences between insects, centipedes, and spiders2. Point out and name the main parts of an insect.

3. Collect and mount fifty different species* Include six orders and eighteen families of insects. Label each with common and scientific names, where possible.

4. Describe the characteristics that distinguish the principal families and orders of insects.

5. Show your collection.

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

7. Raise an insect through complete metamorphosis from its larval stage to its adult stage (e.g., raise a butterfly or moth from a caterpillar).

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

9. Observe an ant colony or a beehive. Tell what you saw.

10. From your collection, identify

(a) Four species of insects helpful to humans.
(b) Six species of insects harmful to humans.

Describe some general methods of insect control.

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

*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 make sure that you will not be collecting any specimens from any habitat of a species that is known to be protected or endangered.