Incredible Insects Badge

Incredible Insects is a Junior Badge from the Girl Scouts of Black Diamond Council.

Girls will learn about insects in fun ways, such as through games, artwork, skits, and snacks. Girls will learn about the body parts of insects, how to safely capture insects, study them and release them back to their environment, and learn to distinguish harmful from harmless insects. Girls will make their own bug glasses and antennae.

To earn the Incredible Insects Award, Junior Girl Scouts must complete 5 activities.

# Activities

1. 1. 1. Discover what I.P.M. (Integrated Pest Management) means. Become involved in I.P.M. by building a bug house, bat house, or bird feeder. Find a special place to erect it. Make a poster to promote I.P.M. and encourage others to do so.

2. Make something that will help you learn more about insects. Try at least one of the following: Create an insect lure mix by mixing fermented fruit juices, mushy bananas, and honey or molasses and smear on a fence post, tree stump, or tree bark to attract insects. Make a sweep net by spreading a wire coat hanger into a circle. Straighten the hook end. Cover the circle with a knee high nylon. Sweep net through dew damp morning tall grass. Create a can trap by punching holes in the bottom of a small can. Dig a hole and sink the can into the ground. Put a piece of bait (decaying meat, honey, or molasses) in the bottom of the can. Put a screen over the bait. Put a piece of wood 3" x 2" over the can supported on four rocks so birds won't steal your insect or your insect won't die of exposure to the sun. Make a box trap to catch insects inside a building, use an open topped cardboard box and make a ramp up to the box. Smear petroleum jelly on the top 2" to 3" of the inside of the box. Put your bait in the box and put your trap in a dark place. Create a sheet trick - some insects fold their legs and act dead when they are disturbed. Use this trick to catch them. Spread a white sheet out under a plant. Shake the plant. They will act dead and fall out into your sheet.
3. Become an entomologist and discover how much you know about a specific insect. Select an insect and answer the following questions and share with your group: What is a habitat? What is its life cycle? How does it protect itself? What is its prey? What are its predators? Is it poisonous? What do they do in the winter? Is it harmful or helpful? What mouth parts does it have? Now use a reference book and study the insect in person, using a magnifying glass and/or a microscope. Learn rules for safely studying insects and releasing them safely. OR Use a reference book and illustrate the answers.
4. Create a piece of art using insects as your inspiration. It could be anything from wind chimes, sun catcher, collage, drawing, notepaper, insect model, or even a costume.
5. Write a poem/chant about insects OR take part in a skit or play about insects.
6. Play a game or participate in a scavenger hunt about insects that either teaches or demonstrates information about insects. Share the activity with others.
7. Invite a bee keeper, entomology expert or someone from a nature center or county extension office to present a program on insects, or visit a nature center for a special program on insects.
8. Invent an insect. Illustrate or fashion out of clay or craft scraps your special creation and then write a description. Consider the questions in requirement three in creating your insect and its description. Procedure: Discuss with girls what a habitat is. Then discuss what things might be in your insect's habitat. Each girl then draws one of those things, colors both sides and cuts it out. Each girl should write her name or initials on her part of the mobile. It is not a problem if there are similar habitat items. For example, a dragonfly's habitat mobile may be all different sized cattails and a lake. The girls may want to make one part of the mobile with the unit name on it to hang in the center of the mobile. Remember to include life cycle, predators, etc. as the girls discover more information about the insect. Girls or leaders will punch holes and tie with yarn onto a circular base or to the twigs and hang in your site each day. At the end of camp, girls can draw straws to see who takes it home or you can cut each girls' portion off for her to take home. Mind Joggers: Dragonflyswamp, cattails, lake; Bees, Wasps, Butterfliesassortment of flowers, hive; Antsant hill, picnic food; Ladybugsroses, aphids; Lightning Bugmoon, stars, grass. Other insect names: katydid, roach, grasshopper, cricket, wasp, hornet, moth, flea, gnat, housefly, praying mantis, June bugs.
9. Adopt a bug: Girls should choose a bug that they will adopt. The girls are to spend part of their time learning about their special bug. Discoveries should include their life cycle, what it eats, where it lives, and its body parts. Next, have girls construct the insect and habitat mobile to be displayed at their troop meeting or school.

# External Links

Council's Own Home Page
Incredible Insects Badge