What term describes an organism that benefits from the pest while not harming the crop (examples include predators and parasitoids)?

• A. Pest
• B. Natural enemy
• C. Pollinator
• D. Parasitoid

Answer: (B)

Natural enemies are organisms that derive a benefit from pests by feeding on them or using them as hosts, while not harming the crops themselves. Predators actively eat pests, reducing their numbers, and parasitoids lay eggs in or on pests, with their offspring eventually killing the pest. Together, predators and parasitoids help suppress pest populations and support crop health, which is why this broad term fits best. The other options don’t capture this broad role: a pest harms crops; a pollinator aids crop production through pollination but doesn’t control pests; a parasitoid is a specific type of natural enemy, but the question includes both predators and parasitoids, so the general term that covers both is natural enemy.