ENTOMOLOGY EXAM STUDY QUESTIONS
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Only three known insects use hemoglobin. What do these three insects have in common? - ANS-They
live in oxygen-poor environments
Electroantennograms are used by entomologists primarily for this purpose (chose the best response
based on course materials): - ANS-To figure out which semiochemicals are detected and elicit nerve
impulses by a particular insect species.
Four insect orders have extremely high numbers of species. What is an insect order that is NOT in the
top four? - ANS-Orthoptera
"Arthropoda", or the group that contains arthropods, is a: - ANS-phylum
Responsible for the elasticity in the insect cuticle: - ANS-resilin
This is the family name for ground beetles in the Order Coleoptera - ANS-Carabidae
This is the order name for the Family Asilidae, the robber flies. - ANS-Diptera
Biological evolution is defined as:
(select the correct answer) - ANS-Changes in allele frequencies (genetic changes) in a population.
Subsocial insects are defined as those that (pick one): - ANS-Exhibit one of the following: 1) Aggregate,
2) have a division of labor, 3) Care for eggs or young after the eggs are laid.
,When the density of pine beetles becomes too great, and there is severe competition for food, the
beetles produce a special kind of semiochemical. What is it? - ANS-spacing pheromone
Prior to the publication of "Silent Spring", few people had ever thought that humans could create: - ANS-
Chemicals that could create harm all over the globe
The evolution of pesticide resistance is a major concern for pest management. Below are listed ways
that farmers and urban entomologists can help minimize the evolution of pesticide resistance. Which is
NOT true? - ANS-Being consistent in the use of a single compound or mix of chemicals across years so
that a population of insects is completely wiped out.
Some populations of cockroaches evolved a simple, highly effective defense against poison baits. What
is this defense, as described in the provided reading? - ANS-Their internal chemistry evolved so that
sweet-tasting bates instead taste bitter.
Based on the radio story, how is genetic drift responsible for the invasive "super-colonies" of the
Argentine Ant? - ANS-When these ants were introduced into new areas, there was a "founder effect"
that left the new population with very little genetic diversity. When there is low genetic diversity, all
colonies smell like family to each other.
What is an example of gene flow in insects? - ANS-During a regular dispersal event, a grasshopper gets
caught in a storm and is blown over a mountain range. On the other side he finds another population of
grasshoppers and mates with a female.
Select the most comprehensive answer to this biological question: Why do individual insects rarely do
anything "for the good of the species" unless it is likely to directly benefit them as well? - ANS-Natural
selection has favored individuals that maximize their fitness. Thus, individual insects rarely help others
unless the action is likely to (though it might not always) boost the individual's fitness.
Some bedbugs can tolerate high levels of pyrethroids. They can withstand a dose of up to how many
times the dose that would usually be lethal? - ANS-1000
According to the radio story (link in your study guide), what is one mechanism thought to be responsible
for the evolution of pesticide resistance in bedbugs? - ANS-They produce more of the enzymes that
break down pyrethroids
Natural selection is frequently detected in populations. But, natural selection does not always result in
evolution. What needs to be present for natural selection to result in evolution? - ANS-Variation,
reproduction, and inheritance must be present
Cryptic female choice describes the process whereby: - ANS-Females select sperm to fertilize their eggs
after they have mated.
Mate guarding occurs when: - ANS-Males defend a single female after mating.
Anisogamy is best defined by which of the following? - ANS-A union between two gametes that differ in
size or form
, Which of the following is not an agent(or mechanism) of sexual selection: - ANS-predation
Females are defined as the sex that: - ANS-produces the larger gamete
What is NOT true about the North American Bolas spider? - ANS-it hunts in packs with other spiders
what is true about the North American Bolas spider? - ANS-It looks like a bird dropping during the day; It
hunts with a single drop of glue and a silken thread; It produces a mimic of moth "pheromones" to
entice moths to come nearby
Webspinners make a sheath of silk to hide beneath against the tree surface. It is waterproof and scent-
proof. Where are their silk glands? - ANS-in their forelegs
Where do male wolf spiders carry their sperm? - ANS-In the pedipalps on their legs
Female lacewings lay up to 300 eggs (almost twice their body weight). How do they protect them from
invertebrate predators? - ANS-put them on the top of silk stalks
What insect causes the "stars" on the ceiling of the cave in New Zealand? - ANS-fungus gnats
Based on the provided reading, what percentage of honeybee hives in the U.S. have been wiped out
recently? - ANS-40-50
I provide a diagram in the lecture slides that shows the variety of plant defenses against insect
herbivores. However, there is one other major way that plants can protect themselves that is NOT in this
diagram. This defense is described in the text and slides. What is it? - ANS-Plants often recruit natural
enemies such as ants to drive away potential herbivores.
What is one of the best ways to figure out if a mystery plant structure grown by a species of plant is a
gall or a domatia? - ANS-Grow the plants in a greenhouse away from insects and see if the plant still
grows the structure.
What class of pesticide is getting attention as possibly an important factor in colony collapse disorder? -
ANS-Neonicotinoids
Trichomes are best described as which of the following? - ANS-A structural defense against herbivores
In the video, what causes the bot fly eggs to hatch? - ANS-Body heat of cows
What is on the tip of the ovipositor of the gall parasitoid, allowing the female to drill deep in woody
tissue? - ANS-zinc
David Attenborough describes "Devil's Gardens" in Peru. These trees provide a place for ants to live.
These swellings on the trees can be classified as the following: - ANS-Domatia
What do the ants in "Devil's Gardens" do when they come across an "intruder" plant? - ANS-Inject it
with formic acid to kill it rapidly
NEWEST FULL STUDY GUIDE REVIEW /
ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS BANK /
COMPLETE ACCURATE QUIZZES WITH
VERIFIED ANSWERS
Only three known insects use hemoglobin. What do these three insects have in common? - ANS-They
live in oxygen-poor environments
Electroantennograms are used by entomologists primarily for this purpose (chose the best response
based on course materials): - ANS-To figure out which semiochemicals are detected and elicit nerve
impulses by a particular insect species.
Four insect orders have extremely high numbers of species. What is an insect order that is NOT in the
top four? - ANS-Orthoptera
"Arthropoda", or the group that contains arthropods, is a: - ANS-phylum
Responsible for the elasticity in the insect cuticle: - ANS-resilin
This is the family name for ground beetles in the Order Coleoptera - ANS-Carabidae
This is the order name for the Family Asilidae, the robber flies. - ANS-Diptera
Biological evolution is defined as:
(select the correct answer) - ANS-Changes in allele frequencies (genetic changes) in a population.
Subsocial insects are defined as those that (pick one): - ANS-Exhibit one of the following: 1) Aggregate,
2) have a division of labor, 3) Care for eggs or young after the eggs are laid.
,When the density of pine beetles becomes too great, and there is severe competition for food, the
beetles produce a special kind of semiochemical. What is it? - ANS-spacing pheromone
Prior to the publication of "Silent Spring", few people had ever thought that humans could create: - ANS-
Chemicals that could create harm all over the globe
The evolution of pesticide resistance is a major concern for pest management. Below are listed ways
that farmers and urban entomologists can help minimize the evolution of pesticide resistance. Which is
NOT true? - ANS-Being consistent in the use of a single compound or mix of chemicals across years so
that a population of insects is completely wiped out.
Some populations of cockroaches evolved a simple, highly effective defense against poison baits. What
is this defense, as described in the provided reading? - ANS-Their internal chemistry evolved so that
sweet-tasting bates instead taste bitter.
Based on the radio story, how is genetic drift responsible for the invasive "super-colonies" of the
Argentine Ant? - ANS-When these ants were introduced into new areas, there was a "founder effect"
that left the new population with very little genetic diversity. When there is low genetic diversity, all
colonies smell like family to each other.
What is an example of gene flow in insects? - ANS-During a regular dispersal event, a grasshopper gets
caught in a storm and is blown over a mountain range. On the other side he finds another population of
grasshoppers and mates with a female.
Select the most comprehensive answer to this biological question: Why do individual insects rarely do
anything "for the good of the species" unless it is likely to directly benefit them as well? - ANS-Natural
selection has favored individuals that maximize their fitness. Thus, individual insects rarely help others
unless the action is likely to (though it might not always) boost the individual's fitness.
Some bedbugs can tolerate high levels of pyrethroids. They can withstand a dose of up to how many
times the dose that would usually be lethal? - ANS-1000
According to the radio story (link in your study guide), what is one mechanism thought to be responsible
for the evolution of pesticide resistance in bedbugs? - ANS-They produce more of the enzymes that
break down pyrethroids
Natural selection is frequently detected in populations. But, natural selection does not always result in
evolution. What needs to be present for natural selection to result in evolution? - ANS-Variation,
reproduction, and inheritance must be present
Cryptic female choice describes the process whereby: - ANS-Females select sperm to fertilize their eggs
after they have mated.
Mate guarding occurs when: - ANS-Males defend a single female after mating.
Anisogamy is best defined by which of the following? - ANS-A union between two gametes that differ in
size or form
, Which of the following is not an agent(or mechanism) of sexual selection: - ANS-predation
Females are defined as the sex that: - ANS-produces the larger gamete
What is NOT true about the North American Bolas spider? - ANS-it hunts in packs with other spiders
what is true about the North American Bolas spider? - ANS-It looks like a bird dropping during the day; It
hunts with a single drop of glue and a silken thread; It produces a mimic of moth "pheromones" to
entice moths to come nearby
Webspinners make a sheath of silk to hide beneath against the tree surface. It is waterproof and scent-
proof. Where are their silk glands? - ANS-in their forelegs
Where do male wolf spiders carry their sperm? - ANS-In the pedipalps on their legs
Female lacewings lay up to 300 eggs (almost twice their body weight). How do they protect them from
invertebrate predators? - ANS-put them on the top of silk stalks
What insect causes the "stars" on the ceiling of the cave in New Zealand? - ANS-fungus gnats
Based on the provided reading, what percentage of honeybee hives in the U.S. have been wiped out
recently? - ANS-40-50
I provide a diagram in the lecture slides that shows the variety of plant defenses against insect
herbivores. However, there is one other major way that plants can protect themselves that is NOT in this
diagram. This defense is described in the text and slides. What is it? - ANS-Plants often recruit natural
enemies such as ants to drive away potential herbivores.
What is one of the best ways to figure out if a mystery plant structure grown by a species of plant is a
gall or a domatia? - ANS-Grow the plants in a greenhouse away from insects and see if the plant still
grows the structure.
What class of pesticide is getting attention as possibly an important factor in colony collapse disorder? -
ANS-Neonicotinoids
Trichomes are best described as which of the following? - ANS-A structural defense against herbivores
In the video, what causes the bot fly eggs to hatch? - ANS-Body heat of cows
What is on the tip of the ovipositor of the gall parasitoid, allowing the female to drill deep in woody
tissue? - ANS-zinc
David Attenborough describes "Devil's Gardens" in Peru. These trees provide a place for ants to live.
These swellings on the trees can be classified as the following: - ANS-Domatia
What do the ants in "Devil's Gardens" do when they come across an "intruder" plant? - ANS-Inject it
with formic acid to kill it rapidly
