Question

What type of mouth parts are present in Lepidopteran larvae?

• A. Chewing and lapping type
• B. Siphoning type
• C. Biting and chewing type
• D. Sponging type

Hint:

Caterpillars are chewing pests that require strong mandibles to cut leaves, while their adult butterfly/moth stages are liquid-feeders with long, tube-like siphoning galeae.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Insect mouthparts are adapted to feed on specific food sources, and they often change drastically between the larval and adult stages of holometabolous insects.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
While adult Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) have specialized siphoning mouthparts to feed on nectar, their larvae (caterpillars) possess strong biting and chewing type (mandibulate) mouthparts.
These chewing mouthparts, featuring prominent mandibles, are adapted to cut, chew, and ingest solid plant foliage, making caterpillars highly destructive agricultural defoliators.

Step 3: Final Answer:
Lepidopteran larvae have biting and chewing mouthparts, which corresponds to option (C).