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Edition 2026Active Merit Badge
Insect Study
Official Requirements & Fillable Workbook · 2026 Edition
Insect Study requires getting into the field with a net or camera. You will observe insect life cycles, examine social colonies like ants or honeybees, and analyze how insects pollinate food crops and recycle nutrients. Requirements 4 and 5 need time outdoors watching live specimens in their natural habitats, so start observing early in the season.
Key Requirements Covered:
- Insect Anatomy & Life Cycles
- Collecting, Curating & Identifying Orders
- Social Insects: Honeybees & Ants
- Ecological Roles: Pollination & Pest Control
6Printable Pages
9Requirements
2025Reqs Revised
What is on the worksheet: Insect Study Requirements
Every requirement for the Insect Study merit badge, word for word as published, with room to write under each one on the printed worksheet.
1Safety
Safety. 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.
2Anatomy
Anatomy. Do the following:
- a Tell how insects are different from other animals.
- b Show how insects are different from millipedes and spiders.
- c Point out and name the main parts of an insect.
- d Describe the characteristics that distinguish the major orders of insects.
3Life Cycles
Life Cycles. Do the following:
- a Compare the life histories of a butterfly and a grasshopper. Tell how they are different.
- b Raise an insect through complete metamorphosis from its larval stage to its adult stage (e.g., raise a butterfly or moth from a caterpillar). (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 counselor for those instances where the return of these specimens would not be appropriate.)
4Observation and Analysis
Observation and Analysis. Do the following:
- a Discuss the importance of the Leave No Trace Seven Principles and the Outdoor Code as they relate to insect study. Explain how you have followed the Leave No Trace Seven Principles and the Outdoor Code during field observation, specimen collection, and identification.
- b Observe 20 different live species of insects in their habitat. In your observations, include at least four orders of insects.
- c Make a scrapbook of the 20 insects you observe in 4(b). Include photographs, sketches, illustrations, and articles. Label each insect with its common and scientific names, where possible. Share your scrapbook with your counselor.
- d From your scrapbook collection, select eight species of insects and identify what role they play in the ecosystem.
5Social Insects
Social Insects. Do the following:
- a Tell things that make social insects different from solitary insects.
- b Do ONE of the following:
- 1 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.
- 2 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. (If you are allergic to bee stings, pick option (1) above.)
6Ecology
Ecology. Do the following:
- a Tell how insects fit in the food web of other insects, fish, birds, and mammals.
- b Explain the role insects serve as pollinators for plants.
7Insects and People
Insects and People. Do the following:
- a 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.
- b Describe three alternatives to insecticides as a way of preventing crop injury and subsequent yield loss. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of these alternatives.
8Conservation
Conservation. Do the following:
- a Tell the migration route of an insect (e.g., monarch butterfly). Discuss the challenges they face and how Scouts can contribute to their success.
- b Find out about an insect that is a threatened or endangered species. Discuss the challenges they face and how Scouts can contribute to their success.
9Careers and Hobbies
Careers and Hobbies. Do ONE of the following:
- a Identify three career opportunities that would use skills and knowledge in Insect Study. Pick one and research the training, education, certification requirements, experience, and expenses associated with entering the field. Research the prospects for employment, starting salary, advancement opportunities and career goals associated with this career. Discuss what you learned with your counselor and whether you might be interested in this career.
- b Identify three career opportunities that would use skills and knowledge in Insect Study. Pick one and research the training, education, certification requirements, experience, and expenses associated with entering the field. Research the prospects for employment, starting salary, advancement opportunities and career goals associated with this career. Discuss what you learned with your counselor and whether you might be interested in this career.
Two dates, two different things
Requirements Revision vs. Worksheet Date
Scouting America last revised the Insect Study requirements in 2025. That is the badge, not this sheet — an older year does not mean the worksheet is out of date.
Verbatim Fidelity & Verification
This worksheet was checked against https://www.scouting.org/merit-badges/insect-study/ in Aug 2026 and reproduces the requirements word for word. Both dates are printed on the sheet, so a copy in a binder can always be placed in time.
Requirement text is © Scouting America, reproduced verbatim. The worksheet layout and design are original to this project.
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