Which Lepidopteran pest of corn has sucking mouthparts and complete metamorphosis?

• A. European Corn Borer
• B. Corn Earworm
• C. Damselfly
• D. Field Cricket

Answer: (A)

Lepidopteran pests that attack corn share complete metamorphosis—from egg to larva to pupa to adult—and adults have sucking (proboscis-like) mouthparts for feeding on nectar. The European corn borer fits this pattern very well: it is a moth that infests corn, its life cycle includes all four life stages, and the adult moth carries mouthparts adapted for sucking. The larval stage does the actual tissue damage, but the trait in question points to the adult moth as the representative of this group. The damselfly is not a Lepidopteran and undergos incomplete metamorphosis, while the field cricket belongs to a different order and also shows incomplete metamorphosis. The corn earworm is another Lepidopteran corn pest with complete metamorphosis and sucking-mouthpart adults, but the European corn borer is the classic example commonly used in practice materials.