PCA Exam Practice Set 2025/2026 | Insects,
Mites & Invertebrates – Full Question Bank
with 100+ Questions With Verified Correct
Answers and Rationales
100 Questions with Verified A+ Answers and Rationales
Section 1: Pest Identification (30 Questions)
Question 1
Which insect is characterized by piercing-sucking mouthparts and causes stippling on leaves due
to sap feeding?
a) Cucumber beetle
b) Western tarnished plant bug
c) Two-spotted spider mite
d) Convergent lady beetle
Correct Answer: c) Two-spotted spider mite
Rationale:
• a) Cucumber beetle: Incorrect. Chewing mouthparts, damages cucurbits.
• b) Western tarnished plant bug: Incorrect. Piercing-sucking, but causes fruit damage,
not stippling.
• c) Two-spotted spider mite: Correct. Mites have piercing-sucking mouthparts, causing
stippling (small yellow spots) on leaves due to sap extraction.
• d) Convergent lady beetle: Incorrect. Predaceous, feeds on aphids.
Source: UC IPM Pest Notes: Spider Mites, 2024.
Question 2
What is the order and family of the green stink bug?
a) Hemiptera, Pentatomidae
b) Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae
c) Hemiptera, Miridae
d) Lepidoptera, Noctuidae
Correct Answer: a) Hemiptera, Pentatomidae
Rationale:
, • a) Hemiptera, Pentatomidae: Correct. Stink bugs belong to Hemiptera (true bugs) and
Pentatomidae family.
• b) Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae: Incorrect. Leaf beetles.
• c) Hemiptera, Miridae: Incorrect. Plant bugs (e.g., lygus bug).
• d) Lepidoptera, Noctuidae: Incorrect. Moths.
Source: UC IPM Pest Notes: Stink Bugs, 2024.
Question 3
Which pest produces honeydew, leading to sooty mold on plants?
a) Eucalyptus longhorned beetle
b) Greenhouse whitefly
c) Diaprepes root weevil
d) Vedalia beetle
Correct Answer: b) Greenhouse whitefly
Rationale:
• a) Eucalyptus longhorned beetle: Incorrect. Wood borer, no honeydew.
• b) Greenhouse whitefly: Correct. Whiteflies (Hemiptera, Aleyrodidae) excrete
honeydew, a sugary liquid fostering sooty mold growth.
• c) Diaprepes root weevil: Incorrect. Root feeder, no honeydew.
• d) Vedalia beetle: Incorrect. Predaceous, controls scale.
Source: UC IPM Pest Notes: Whiteflies, 2024.
Question 4
Which pest is a quarantine concern due to leaf and root damage in citrus?
a) Diaprepes root weevil
b) Convergent lady beetle
c) Minute pirate bug
d) Cottony cushion scale
Correct Answer: a) Diaprepes root weevil
Rationale:
• a) Diaprepes root weevil: Correct. Adults chew semi-circular leaf margins; larvae
damage roots, making it a quarantine pest.
• b) Convergent lady beetle: Incorrect. Beneficial predator.
• c) Minute pirate bug: Incorrect. Predator of small pests.
• d) Cottony cushion scale: Incorrect. Sap feeder, not a quarantine concern.
Source: UC IPM Pest Notes: Diaprepes Root Weevil, 2024.
Question 5
,Which pest is identified by longitudinal scars on rice leaves?
a) Rice water weevil
b) Apple maggot
c) Codling moth
d) Leafhopper
Correct Answer: a) Rice water weevil
Rationale:
• a) Rice water weevil: Correct. Adults chew longitudinal scars on rice leaves.
• b) Apple maggot: Incorrect. Damages apple fruit.
• c) Codling moth: Incorrect. Larvae bore into fruit.
• d) Leafhopper: Incorrect. Causes stippling or hopper burn.
Source: UC IPM Pest Notes: Rice Water Weevil, 2024.
Question 6
What pest leaves shiny tracks on leaves, indicating its presence?
a) Leafminer
b) Thrips
c) Mealybug
d) Spider mite
Correct Answer: a) Leafminer
Rationale:
• a) Leafminer: Correct. Larvae create serpentine, shiny tracks within leaves.
• b) Thrips: Incorrect. Cause silvering or scarring.
• c) Mealybug: Incorrect. Produce waxy secretions, no tracks.
• d) Spider mite: Incorrect. Cause stippling.
Source: UC IPM Pest Notes: Leafminers, 2024.
Question 7
Which pest is associated with tiny holes in roots and is not an insect?
a) Garden symphylan
b) Codling moth
c) Lygus bug
d) Whitefly
Correct Answer: a) Garden symphylan
Rationale:
• a) Garden symphylan: Correct. A myriapod (not an insect) that creates tiny root holes.
• b) Codling moth: Incorrect. Insect, damages fruit.
• c) Lygus bug: Incorrect. Insect, damages fruit/flowers.
, • d) Whitefly: Incorrect. Insect, sap feeder.
Source: UC IPM Pest Notes: Garden Symphylans, 2024.
Question 8
Which pest causes stunting in lettuce seedlings due to feeding?
a) Potato aphid
b) Cucumber beetle
c) Leaffooted bug
d) White grub
Correct Answer: a) Potato aphid
Rationale:
• a) Potato aphid: Correct. Sap feeding causes stunting in seedlings.
• b) Cucumber beetle: Incorrect. Chews leaves/roots of cucurbits.
• c) Leaffooted bug: Incorrect. Damages fruit/seeds.
• d) White grub: Incorrect. Root feeder, not specific to lettuce.
Source: UC IPM Pest Notes: Aphids, 2024.
Question 9
What is the distinguishing characteristic of grape mealybug?
a) All stages present year-round
b) Bright red body
c) Winged adults only
d) Burrows in roots
Correct Answer: a) All stages present year-round
Rationale:
• a) All stages present: Correct. Grape mealybugs have overlapping generations, with all
stages present throughout the year.
• b) Red body: Incorrect. Mealybugs are waxy white.
• c) Winged adults only: Incorrect. Includes crawlers and wingless stages.
• d) Root burrows: Incorrect. Found on leaves/stems.
Source: UC IPM Pest Notes: Mealybugs, 2024.
Question 10
Which pest is most likely to damage apples by boring into the fruit?
a) Apple maggot
b) Thrips
c) Scale insect
d) Lady beetle
Mites & Invertebrates – Full Question Bank
with 100+ Questions With Verified Correct
Answers and Rationales
100 Questions with Verified A+ Answers and Rationales
Section 1: Pest Identification (30 Questions)
Question 1
Which insect is characterized by piercing-sucking mouthparts and causes stippling on leaves due
to sap feeding?
a) Cucumber beetle
b) Western tarnished plant bug
c) Two-spotted spider mite
d) Convergent lady beetle
Correct Answer: c) Two-spotted spider mite
Rationale:
• a) Cucumber beetle: Incorrect. Chewing mouthparts, damages cucurbits.
• b) Western tarnished plant bug: Incorrect. Piercing-sucking, but causes fruit damage,
not stippling.
• c) Two-spotted spider mite: Correct. Mites have piercing-sucking mouthparts, causing
stippling (small yellow spots) on leaves due to sap extraction.
• d) Convergent lady beetle: Incorrect. Predaceous, feeds on aphids.
Source: UC IPM Pest Notes: Spider Mites, 2024.
Question 2
What is the order and family of the green stink bug?
a) Hemiptera, Pentatomidae
b) Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae
c) Hemiptera, Miridae
d) Lepidoptera, Noctuidae
Correct Answer: a) Hemiptera, Pentatomidae
Rationale:
, • a) Hemiptera, Pentatomidae: Correct. Stink bugs belong to Hemiptera (true bugs) and
Pentatomidae family.
• b) Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae: Incorrect. Leaf beetles.
• c) Hemiptera, Miridae: Incorrect. Plant bugs (e.g., lygus bug).
• d) Lepidoptera, Noctuidae: Incorrect. Moths.
Source: UC IPM Pest Notes: Stink Bugs, 2024.
Question 3
Which pest produces honeydew, leading to sooty mold on plants?
a) Eucalyptus longhorned beetle
b) Greenhouse whitefly
c) Diaprepes root weevil
d) Vedalia beetle
Correct Answer: b) Greenhouse whitefly
Rationale:
• a) Eucalyptus longhorned beetle: Incorrect. Wood borer, no honeydew.
• b) Greenhouse whitefly: Correct. Whiteflies (Hemiptera, Aleyrodidae) excrete
honeydew, a sugary liquid fostering sooty mold growth.
• c) Diaprepes root weevil: Incorrect. Root feeder, no honeydew.
• d) Vedalia beetle: Incorrect. Predaceous, controls scale.
Source: UC IPM Pest Notes: Whiteflies, 2024.
Question 4
Which pest is a quarantine concern due to leaf and root damage in citrus?
a) Diaprepes root weevil
b) Convergent lady beetle
c) Minute pirate bug
d) Cottony cushion scale
Correct Answer: a) Diaprepes root weevil
Rationale:
• a) Diaprepes root weevil: Correct. Adults chew semi-circular leaf margins; larvae
damage roots, making it a quarantine pest.
• b) Convergent lady beetle: Incorrect. Beneficial predator.
• c) Minute pirate bug: Incorrect. Predator of small pests.
• d) Cottony cushion scale: Incorrect. Sap feeder, not a quarantine concern.
Source: UC IPM Pest Notes: Diaprepes Root Weevil, 2024.
Question 5
,Which pest is identified by longitudinal scars on rice leaves?
a) Rice water weevil
b) Apple maggot
c) Codling moth
d) Leafhopper
Correct Answer: a) Rice water weevil
Rationale:
• a) Rice water weevil: Correct. Adults chew longitudinal scars on rice leaves.
• b) Apple maggot: Incorrect. Damages apple fruit.
• c) Codling moth: Incorrect. Larvae bore into fruit.
• d) Leafhopper: Incorrect. Causes stippling or hopper burn.
Source: UC IPM Pest Notes: Rice Water Weevil, 2024.
Question 6
What pest leaves shiny tracks on leaves, indicating its presence?
a) Leafminer
b) Thrips
c) Mealybug
d) Spider mite
Correct Answer: a) Leafminer
Rationale:
• a) Leafminer: Correct. Larvae create serpentine, shiny tracks within leaves.
• b) Thrips: Incorrect. Cause silvering or scarring.
• c) Mealybug: Incorrect. Produce waxy secretions, no tracks.
• d) Spider mite: Incorrect. Cause stippling.
Source: UC IPM Pest Notes: Leafminers, 2024.
Question 7
Which pest is associated with tiny holes in roots and is not an insect?
a) Garden symphylan
b) Codling moth
c) Lygus bug
d) Whitefly
Correct Answer: a) Garden symphylan
Rationale:
• a) Garden symphylan: Correct. A myriapod (not an insect) that creates tiny root holes.
• b) Codling moth: Incorrect. Insect, damages fruit.
• c) Lygus bug: Incorrect. Insect, damages fruit/flowers.
, • d) Whitefly: Incorrect. Insect, sap feeder.
Source: UC IPM Pest Notes: Garden Symphylans, 2024.
Question 8
Which pest causes stunting in lettuce seedlings due to feeding?
a) Potato aphid
b) Cucumber beetle
c) Leaffooted bug
d) White grub
Correct Answer: a) Potato aphid
Rationale:
• a) Potato aphid: Correct. Sap feeding causes stunting in seedlings.
• b) Cucumber beetle: Incorrect. Chews leaves/roots of cucurbits.
• c) Leaffooted bug: Incorrect. Damages fruit/seeds.
• d) White grub: Incorrect. Root feeder, not specific to lettuce.
Source: UC IPM Pest Notes: Aphids, 2024.
Question 9
What is the distinguishing characteristic of grape mealybug?
a) All stages present year-round
b) Bright red body
c) Winged adults only
d) Burrows in roots
Correct Answer: a) All stages present year-round
Rationale:
• a) All stages present: Correct. Grape mealybugs have overlapping generations, with all
stages present throughout the year.
• b) Red body: Incorrect. Mealybugs are waxy white.
• c) Winged adults only: Incorrect. Includes crawlers and wingless stages.
• d) Root burrows: Incorrect. Found on leaves/stems.
Source: UC IPM Pest Notes: Mealybugs, 2024.
Question 10
Which pest is most likely to damage apples by boring into the fruit?
a) Apple maggot
b) Thrips
c) Scale insect
d) Lady beetle
