Which statement describes possible symptoms from insects with sucking mouthparts?

Which statement describes possible symptoms from insects with sucking mouthparts?

• A. Girdling
• B. Deformed fruit or foliage, burned or speckled tissue, aborted development, stunting, yellowing, or wilting
• C. Leafmining
• D. Necrosis

Answer: (B)

Insects that have sucking mouthparts draw sap from plant tissues, which disrupts the plant’s nutrient and water flow. That disruption often shows up as symptoms like deformed fruit or foliage, burned or speckled tissue (a mottling or stippling effect), aborted development, stunting, yellowing (chlorosis), and wilting. These signs describe how sap-sucking pests impair growth and leaf/fruit quality, rather than creating holes or chewed areas. Other damage patterns come from different feeding methods. Girdling is more typical of pests that chew around stems and bark, effectively cutting off a ring of tissue. Leafmining involves larvae feeding inside leaf tissue, leaving characteristic mines. Necrosis is general tissue death that can result from many causes, not specifically tied to sucking-mouthpart feeding.

Insects that have sucking mouthparts draw sap from plant tissues, which disrupts the plant’s nutrient and water flow. That disruption often shows up as symptoms like deformed fruit or foliage, burned or speckled tissue (a mottling or stippling effect), aborted development, stunting, yellowing (chlorosis), and wilting. These signs describe how sap-sucking pests impair growth and leaf/fruit quality, rather than creating holes or chewed areas.

Other damage patterns come from different feeding methods. Girdling is more typical of pests that chew around stems and bark, effectively cutting off a ring of tissue. Leafmining involves larvae feeding inside leaf tissue, leaving characteristic mines. Necrosis is general tissue death that can result from many causes, not specifically tied to sucking-mouthpart feeding.