PCA EXAM- CATEGORY A INSECTS, MITES, AND OTHER INVERTEBRATES ACTUAL EXAM 2026 |
PEST CONTROL ADVISER (PCA) | ALL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS | VERIFIED
ANSWERS | UPDATED VERSION!
List and describe the different types of mouthparts of insects
Chewing (mandibulate): Mandibles move laterally to tear, cut, and grind plant tissue
Piercing-sucking (haustellate): Stylets pierce tissues to extract fluids
Siphoning: Coiled proboscis for nectar feeding (butterflies/moths)
Sponging: Labellum absorbs liquid food (flies)
Rasping-sucking: Rasps tissue then sucks fluids (thrips)
List the insect orders that have:
Chewing mouthparts
Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets), Coleoptera (beetles), Lepidoptera larvae (caterpillars),
Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, sawflies), Dermaptera (earwigs), Mantodea (mantids), Blattodea
(cockroaches), Isoptera (termites)
List the insects that have:
Piercing-sucking mouthparts
Hemiptera (true bugs, aphids, scales, whiteflies, leafhoppers, psyllids), Thysanoptera (thrips),
some Diptera (mosquitoes)
What are the differences between piercing-sucking and chewing mouthparts? (describe)
Chewing mouthparts have mandibles that move side-to-side to physically remove plant tissue,
creating visible holes and defoliation. Piercing-sucking mouthparts use needle-like stylets to
penetrate plant cells and extract fluids without removing chunks of tissue, causing systemic
damage like yellowing, wilting, and stunting rather than obvious holes.
List the main body regions of adult:
Insects
Head, thorax, abdomen
List the main body regions of adult:
Spiders
cephalothorax, abdomen
, 2
List the main body regions of adult:
Mites
idiosoma (fused cephalothorax and abdomen), gnathosoma (head and mouthparts)
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
head
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
antennae
sensory organs located on the head of an insect
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
compound eye
located on each side of the head of most insects
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
ocellus
simple eyes that sense light and are located on the front of the head between the compound eyes
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
clypeus
shield-like plate on the front of an arthropod's head, located below the antennae and above the
mouthparts in insects forming part of the face
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
mandibles
hard jaw-like mouthparts on either side of the mouth opening
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
palps
segmented sensory appendages found near the mouth attached to the maxillae and the labium
, 3
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
labrum
"upper lip", a flap-like plate located at the very front, above the mouth opening
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
prothorax
first segment of the three-part thorax, located directly behind the head, responsible for bearing
the first pair of legs but NEVER wings
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
mesothorax
middle segment of the three-part thorax. crucial for locomotion, bearing the second pair of legs
and the first pair of wings
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
metathorax
third and final segment of the three-segment thorax, bearing hindlegs and in most insects,
hindwings. includes powerful muscles for jumping
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
spiracle
tiny, valve-controlled external openings on the exoskeleton, typically along the sides of the
thorax or abdomen used to breathe
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
forewings
front pair of wings, attached to the insect's second thoracic segment. often modified for
protection or specialized functions covering more delicate hindwings and vary greatly in texture
from leathery to membranous, serving as essential parts of flight or protection
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
hindwings
, 4
the "real" pair of winds on insects, located on the metathorax behind the forewings, providing lift
and maneuverability, though sometimes modified for balance, playing a crucial role in flight
dynamics even if forewings do most of the work
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
trochanter
small, typically second segment of the leg, located between the coxa and the femur, acting as a
crucial pivot point for leg movement, allowing for the femur and the rest of the leg to swing
freely
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
coxa
first and basal segment of an insects leg, acting as the "hip" that connects the entire leg to the
insect's thorax and allows for initial movement
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
femur
third segment of an insects leg, counting from the body, and is typically the largest and stoutest
section. located on the thorax between the trochanter and tibia
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
tibia
slender middle segment of the leg, located between the femur and tarsus. provides leverage for
movement and often features spines, bristles, or specialized structures and is key for locomotion
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
tarsus
"foot" or final segment of an insect's leg. located at the tip of the tibia and is crucial for gripping
surfaces wiht is small subsegments and terminal claws
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
abdomen
PEST CONTROL ADVISER (PCA) | ALL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS | VERIFIED
ANSWERS | UPDATED VERSION!
List and describe the different types of mouthparts of insects
Chewing (mandibulate): Mandibles move laterally to tear, cut, and grind plant tissue
Piercing-sucking (haustellate): Stylets pierce tissues to extract fluids
Siphoning: Coiled proboscis for nectar feeding (butterflies/moths)
Sponging: Labellum absorbs liquid food (flies)
Rasping-sucking: Rasps tissue then sucks fluids (thrips)
List the insect orders that have:
Chewing mouthparts
Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets), Coleoptera (beetles), Lepidoptera larvae (caterpillars),
Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, sawflies), Dermaptera (earwigs), Mantodea (mantids), Blattodea
(cockroaches), Isoptera (termites)
List the insects that have:
Piercing-sucking mouthparts
Hemiptera (true bugs, aphids, scales, whiteflies, leafhoppers, psyllids), Thysanoptera (thrips),
some Diptera (mosquitoes)
What are the differences between piercing-sucking and chewing mouthparts? (describe)
Chewing mouthparts have mandibles that move side-to-side to physically remove plant tissue,
creating visible holes and defoliation. Piercing-sucking mouthparts use needle-like stylets to
penetrate plant cells and extract fluids without removing chunks of tissue, causing systemic
damage like yellowing, wilting, and stunting rather than obvious holes.
List the main body regions of adult:
Insects
Head, thorax, abdomen
List the main body regions of adult:
Spiders
cephalothorax, abdomen
, 2
List the main body regions of adult:
Mites
idiosoma (fused cephalothorax and abdomen), gnathosoma (head and mouthparts)
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
head
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
antennae
sensory organs located on the head of an insect
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
compound eye
located on each side of the head of most insects
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
ocellus
simple eyes that sense light and are located on the front of the head between the compound eyes
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
clypeus
shield-like plate on the front of an arthropod's head, located below the antennae and above the
mouthparts in insects forming part of the face
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
mandibles
hard jaw-like mouthparts on either side of the mouth opening
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
palps
segmented sensory appendages found near the mouth attached to the maxillae and the labium
, 3
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
labrum
"upper lip", a flap-like plate located at the very front, above the mouth opening
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
prothorax
first segment of the three-part thorax, located directly behind the head, responsible for bearing
the first pair of legs but NEVER wings
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
mesothorax
middle segment of the three-part thorax. crucial for locomotion, bearing the second pair of legs
and the first pair of wings
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
metathorax
third and final segment of the three-segment thorax, bearing hindlegs and in most insects,
hindwings. includes powerful muscles for jumping
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
spiracle
tiny, valve-controlled external openings on the exoskeleton, typically along the sides of the
thorax or abdomen used to breathe
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
forewings
front pair of wings, attached to the insect's second thoracic segment. often modified for
protection or specialized functions covering more delicate hindwings and vary greatly in texture
from leathery to membranous, serving as essential parts of flight or protection
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
hindwings
, 4
the "real" pair of winds on insects, located on the metathorax behind the forewings, providing lift
and maneuverability, though sometimes modified for balance, playing a crucial role in flight
dynamics even if forewings do most of the work
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
trochanter
small, typically second segment of the leg, located between the coxa and the femur, acting as a
crucial pivot point for leg movement, allowing for the femur and the rest of the leg to swing
freely
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
coxa
first and basal segment of an insects leg, acting as the "hip" that connects the entire leg to the
insect's thorax and allows for initial movement
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
femur
third segment of an insects leg, counting from the body, and is typically the largest and stoutest
section. located on the thorax between the trochanter and tibia
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
tibia
slender middle segment of the leg, located between the femur and tarsus. provides leverage for
movement and often features spines, bristles, or specialized structures and is key for locomotion
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
tarsus
"foot" or final segment of an insect's leg. located at the tip of the tibia and is crucial for gripping
surfaces wiht is small subsegments and terminal claws
Recognize the following body parts on various groups of insects:
abdomen
