4-H CLUB INSECT MANUAL 
By M. P. JonsEs, extension entomologist, Division of Subject Matter 
Eatension Service 
INTRODUCTION 
This insect manual was prepared primarily for the use of 4-H 
club members, but it also may be useful to other groups of young 
people. Its purpose is to give a better understanding of insects and 
the principles underlying insect control. 
The study of insects at camps affords an ideal way to introduce 
entomology. Under a competent leader who knows insects many 
interesting things can be pointed out, such as facts pertaining to 
insects in relation to other forms of life. Although this manual was 
prepared primarily for a definite year-round project in entomology, 
it will be helpful at camps also. 
Valuable service can be rendered through learning to recognize 
threatening insect populations and making counts to determine how 
abundant they are. Club members can be of help to entomologists 
and to their neighbors if they will be on the lookout for insect pests 
and report to their county agent, or to the State or Federal ento- 
mologist the finding of unusual varieties and the outbreak of these 
and of common pests. If these reports are of general interest, they 
will be relayed to farmers in the community, so that control meas- 
ures can be applied. When insecticides are necessary, they can 
usually be made available before insects have time to destroy crops. 
In industrial sections of the country where use of leisure time is 
becoming a problem, the study of insects and the making of insect 
collections afford an excellent pastime. The cost of equipment is 
small, and the insect supply is almost unlimited. In some places 
county fair boards and local chambers of commerce have provided 
money to be given as awards for commendable insect collections. 
Although some insect collections have sold for large sums of money, 
such collections represent the lifetime jobs of the persons making 
U.S. Department of Agriculture Issued February 1939 
Miscellaneous Publication 318 Slightly revised March 1949 
