by Ernest Thompson Seton
Bug Man
(Tapopuska)
The Degree of Bug Man may be conferred upon any one who accomplishes 14 of these tests.
1. What is an insect? Is a spider an insect? Give a reason for your answer. How about a centipede? Milliped? "Sow-bug"? In each case, why? What is meant by an "order" ?
2. Tell how you would distinguish any eight of the following from each other and from other insects: Butterfly, moth, beetle, wasp, bee, ant, grasshopper, cricket, roach, dragon-fly, a true fly, a true bug; a spider.
3. Collect, preserve, mount and correctly identify at least five species in each of at least three orders of insects. Label each specimen as to locality and date of capture. Describe in a general way the sort of places in which each of these species lives.
4. Describe the life history of an insect which is injurious to man or to man's property. Of an insect which is beneficial to man. Of one that is not decidedly either injurious or beneficial.
5. Describe at least five different things insects make, telling what kind of insect made each, but not counting cocoons.
(Examples: nests of paper, mud, leaves or silk; traps to catch prey; burrows in wood, leaves or earth that have some character distinguishing them from other burrows; galls; special protection of eggs, etc.) Present one specimen of each.
6. Insects grow and many, but not all, change greatly just before they become adult. Rear at least three different species of insect from the stage preceding the adult one to that stage. Preserve the cast nymphal skin or pupal shell as well as the adult.
7. Make a Lubbock ant's nest, install a colony of ants and record observations for one month.
8. Take full charge of a swarm of bees for one season.
9. Identify 8 species of bees, wasps or ants and describe the distinguishing characteristics of each.
10. Make good recognizable photos of five species of spider nests.
11. Record the steps in the spinning of a spider's web, giving date, name of spider, location of web and description of the various steps.
12. Identify eight species of spiders.
13. Identify 10 species of butterflies.
14. Identify 20 species of moths.
15. Collect a moth cocoon and take entire charge of the product of this cocoon through its entire life history until another cocoon is produced.
16. As above for a butterfly.
17. Make three serviceable six foot leaders for a fish line from gut raised by self.
18. Make good recognizable photos of 10 species of moths or butterflies.
19. Make a series of good recognizable photos showing the life history of a butterfly or moth; including its emergence from the cocoon.
20. Identify 3 species of mosquitoes; describe the life history of one, and tell how best to rid a place of mosquitoes.
21. Identify 20 species of insects not included in the above.
For "How To" Information, See: The Birch Bark Roll
