Flea beetle larval feeding is performed by:

Flea beetle larval feeding is performed by:

• A. Chewing mouthparts
• B. Sucking mouthparts
• C. Filter feeding
• D. Photosynthesis

Answer: (A)

Flea beetle larvae feed by gnawing on plant roots, so they rely on chewing mouthparts. Their mandibles are built to bite, cut, and grind solid tissue, which is how they macerate root cells to extract nutrients. Sucking mouthparts would be needed to pierce and suck fluids, but that isn’t how these larvae obtain food. Filter feeding isn’t a beetle larva strategy, and photosynthesis is a plant process, not an insect feeding method. So chewing mouthparts best explain flea beetle larval feeding.

Flea beetle larvae feed by gnawing on plant roots, so they rely on chewing mouthparts. Their mandibles are built to bite, cut, and grind solid tissue, which is how they macerate root cells to extract nutrients. Sucking mouthparts would be needed to pierce and suck fluids, but that isn’t how these larvae obtain food. Filter feeding isn’t a beetle larva strategy, and photosynthesis is a plant process, not an insect feeding method. So chewing mouthparts best explain flea beetle larval feeding.