Collections help members learn the names of insects and provide excellent exhibit material. General insect collections usually consist of the adult forms of insects. Immature insects often require special preserving and storing techniques, so their inclusion is not encouraged in beginning display collec- tions. Immature forms of insects may be an important part of an exhibit in the more advanced units, after the 4-H'er has developed more knowledge and skills.
When collections are used for exhibits in store windows or visual aids in illustrated talks, they can be prepared and arranged in any fashion that suits the purpose. However, display collections entered in 4-H competition at local and state fairs must be prepared according to regulations. A checklist for preparing competition collections is given in Unit II project booklet, " Improving Your Display Collection". Click here to see an illustration of an example exhibit, and click here for an example of a collection catalogue to accompany the collection. Click here for an example of a collection score sheet. The requirement of number and variety of insects in competition collections for Units I to V is as follow.
Unit I
One box with 25 to 50 insects representing at least four
orders. Identification beyond order is not necessary, but every
specimen needs a date-locality label.
Unit II
One box with 50 to 100 insects representing at least eight orders.
Half the insects should be identified with a common name
Unit III
Two boxes with 100 to 150 insects representing 10 or more
orders.
Project IV
Three boxes with two of the boxes displaying 150 or more
insects representing 12 or more orders. The third box should
have an example of insect damage, the stage of the insect
causing the damage and any other life stage that helps identify
or explain the problem. Include control. (There is presently no
project manual for this level; 4-H'ers can use Units I, II, III as
resource material and 4LD-02RA, Kentucky 4-H Project or
Activity Form, as a record sheet.)
Project V
Any type of display that pertains to experiences beyond those of
previous project. Examples are special collections of native and/
or exotic butterflies, beetles or other insect order, larvae, etc. or
charts, photographs, models or other visual aids to illustrate the
work done in a special study or experiment. (There is presently
no project manual for this project level. Members may use Units
I, II, III as resource material and 4LD-02RA, Kentucky 4-H
Project or Activity Form, as a record sheet.)
