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The Bug Badge

by Tom Johnson on Nov 17, 2013
categories: family

One of the Girl Scout badges we recently worked on was the Bug badge. This was one of the most fun badges because it involved trapping and observing all kinds of insects. We visited Rancho San Antonio park to make our bug exploration. Here are a few pictures.

The kids are running like they're avoiding a mudslide or something, but really kids just like to be active outdoors.
The kids are running like they're avoiding a mudslide or something, but really kids just like to be active outdoors.

A great place to look for bugs is a dry riverbed, under the rocks. It's moist and dark. Lots of centipedes there.
A great place to look for bugs is a dry riverbed, under the rocks. It's moist and dark. Lots of centipedes there.

Turn over rocks to see what you find. Then be ready to quickly put something in your bug house.
Turn over rocks to see what you find. Then be ready to quickly put something in your bug house.

With boxes this size, everyone can hold one.
With boxes this size, everyone can hold one.

Not sure what lives in here. Reach in and find out.
Not sure what lives in here. Reach in and find out.

Molly found a couple of feathers and put them in the box.
Molly found a couple of feathers and put them in the box.

For a simple bug home, just use a plastic box and drill some holes at the top. It's much easier and more contained than trying to build a home out of a shoebox.
For a simple bug home, just use a plastic box and drill some holes at the top. It's much easier and more contained than trying to build a home out of a shoebox.

This was a nice little butterfly... I mean moth ... that we captured and then let go.
This was a nice little butterfly... I mean moth ... that we captured and then let go.

We had a pretty good time watching the bugs in here.
We had a pretty good time watching the bugs in here.

Centipedes are some of the neatest bugs. Terrifying while also easy to catch.
Centipedes are some of the neatest bugs. Terrifying while also easy to catch.

we put some sap we found from a tree stump in the bug box. wrong idea. One of the centipedes eventually melded with the sap. The other centipede eventually got away -- to where, we don't know.
We put some sap we found from a tree stump in the bug box. wrong idea. One of the centipedes eventually melded with the sap. The other centipede eventually got away -- to where, we don't know.

This daddy-long-leg spider only has 7 legs, which makes it part of the crane family.
This daddy-long-leg spider only has 7 legs, which makes it part of the crane family.

The rolly-polly bug must be one of my favorites -- totally harmless, easy to catch, and pretty sturdy.
The rolly-polly bug must be one of my favorites -- totally harmless, easy to catch, and pretty sturdy.

Callie had to make a bug poster. She chose the centipede. It turns out the centipede is a great bug for a poster since you can hang a lot of callouts off it.
Callie had to make a bug poster. She chose the centipede. It turns out the centipede is a great bug for a poster since you can hang a lot of callouts off it.

Here's Callie's centipede poster.
Here's Callie's centipede poster.

A little closer up. You can't see all the details because of the flash, unfortunately.
A little closer up. You can't see all the details because of the flash, unfortunately.

This is supposed to be a spider. You use what you have around the house.
This is supposed to be a spider. You use what you have around the house.

Molly likes colors so much she mixes them around until they become brownish green.
Molly likes colors so much she mixes them around until they become brownish green.

We had a lot better success in making butterfly crafts instead of spider crafts.
We had a lot better success in making butterfly crafts instead of spider crafts.

Interestingly, when we returned from the park, we found out that we had some bed bugs in Callie and Lucy's room. We ended up disassembling their room, spreading diotomacious earth all around the room, and then attempting to clean it up. We also got protective cases for the mattresses. It took about a week to clean up. We haven't seen bed bugs in there since.

About Tom Johnson

Tom Johnson

I'm an API technical writer based in the Seattle area. On this blog, I write about topics related to technical writing and communication — such as software documentation, API documentation, AI, information architecture, content strategy, writing processes, agent skills, tech comm careers, and more. Check out my AI courses for more on the latest in AI and tech comm. If you're looking for info about documenting APIs, see my API documentation course.

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