Texas FFA Nursery Landscape Practice Exam

What are the four life cycle stages of beetles such as the Japanese beetle?

1. Grub, pupae, juvenile, adult

2. Moth, egg, grub, adult

3. Egg, nymph, pupae, adult

4. Egg, grub, pupae, adult

The correct answer is: Egg, grub, pupae, adult

The correct answer identifies the specific life cycle stages of beetles, including the Japanese beetle, which are crucial in understanding their development and ecology. Beetles undergo complete metamorphosis, which consists of four distinct stages: egg, larva (often referred to as grubs in the case of beetles), pupa, and adult. In the first stage, the egg is laid by the adult beetle. After hatching, the larvae emerge, which are the grubs. This larval stage is critical as the grubs feed and grow, often impacting the soil or plants around them. The third stage is the pupal stage, where the larvae undergo transformation into their adult form. Finally, in the adult stage, the beetles emerge, capable of reproduction and continuing the life cycle. The other options highlight stages that aren't accurate for beetles. For instance, referencing a nymph stage is characteristic of insects that undergo incomplete metamorphosis, such as grasshoppers and cockroaches, rather than beetles. The mention of "moth" is not relevant since moths are a separate order of insects and follow a different life cycle pattern, which includes a cocoon stage rather than a pupal stage seen in beetles.