The Badge Archive

Fulfills Step 1 of GSUSA Bugs badge requirements.

Info Needed for Badge Requirements – See Below

Items Needed:

• Bug expert or guest speaker
  • Someone who works at a museum (especially in natural history, science, or entomology)
  • A staff member from a zoo or nature center
  • An entomologist or science educator from a local university
  • A member of a farming organization or agriculture extension office
  • Someone in a gardening club or master gardener program
  • A beekeeper, butterfly breeder, or pest control specialist
  • A ranger or educator from a park or wildlife reserve
• Crayons or markers
• Blank paper (one sheet per scout)

Instructions (Total Estimated Time: 35 minutes):

1. Learn from a Bug Expert (10–12 minutes)
   • Invite a guest to share bug facts: where bugs live, what they eat, how long they live, and their role in nature
   • Scouts think of one bug they’re interested in and ask questions about it
2. Draw a Bug Poster (10–12 minutes)
   • Each scout draws a picture of their chosen bug
   • Leave space on the side or bottom of the page for writing facts
3. Add Bug Details (8–10 minutes)
   • Scouts label any bug parts they remember
   • Scouts answer these questions in writing next to their drawing:
     • Where does the bug live?
     • What does it eat?
     • How long does it live?
     • What is good about this bug?
     • What is not so good about it?
     • Who are its enemies?
4. Share and Reflect (3–5 minutes)
   • Scouts take turns showing their posters
   • Encourage each scout to share something they found interesting about their bug

Info Required for Requirement 1 – For Any Bug

Where My Bug Lives
Example: forest, garden, under leaves, underground, on water
➤ _______________________________________________

How Long My Bug Lives
Example: a few weeks, a year, only as a caterpillar, long life like tarantulas
➤ _______________________________________________

What My Bug Eats
Example: plants, leaves, nectar, other bugs, wood, blood
➤ _______________________________________________

What’s Good About My Bug
Example: pollinates plants, cleans up nature, controls pests, makes silk
➤ _______________________________________________
➤ _______________________________________________

What’s Not So Good About My Bug
Example: may bite or sting, ruins plants, can be scary, spreads germs
➤ _______________________________________________
➤ _______________________________________________

Who My Bug’s Enemies Are
Example: birds, frogs, spiders, humans, other bugs
➤ _______________________________________________

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Main Bug Parts (Label these on the poster if possible)

• Head
• Eyes
• Antennae or feelers
• Mouth or jaws
• Legs (how many?)
• Wings (if any)
• Body sections (like thorax or abdomen)
• Special parts (like spinnerets, stingers, pincers, proboscis)