Which insect is a Lepidopteran with complete metamorphosis and sucking mouthparts?

Which insect is a Lepidopteran with complete metamorphosis and sucking mouthparts?

• A. Luna Moth
• B. Japanese Beetle
• C. Lace Bug
• D. Long-Horned Grasshopper

Answer: (A)

Lepidoptera are insects that undergo complete metamorphosis and typically have mouthparts adapted for sucking nectar, a long coiled structure called a proboscis for sipping liquids. The Luna Moth is a moth, so it’s in this order, and it passes through four life stages: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and adult. Its adult mouthparts are built for feeding by sucking nectar, which matches the sucking-mouthpart trait. The other insects don’t fit all three traits: the Japanese beetle is a beetle with chewing mouthparts; lace bugs are Hemiptera with piercing-sucking mouthparts but they do not undergo complete metamorphosis; and long-horned grasshoppers are Orthoptera with chewing mouthparts and incomplete metamorphosis.

Lepidoptera are insects that undergo complete metamorphosis and typically have mouthparts adapted for sucking nectar, a long coiled structure called a proboscis for sipping liquids. The Luna Moth is a moth, so it’s in this order, and it passes through four life stages: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and adult. Its adult mouthparts are built for feeding by sucking nectar, which matches the sucking-mouthpart trait. The other insects don’t fit all three traits: the Japanese beetle is a beetle with chewing mouthparts; lace bugs are Hemiptera with piercing-sucking mouthparts but they do not undergo complete metamorphosis; and long-horned grasshoppers are Orthoptera with chewing mouthparts and incomplete metamorphosis.