Which pest feeds by removing plant fluids from leaves?

Which pest feeds by removing plant fluids from leaves?

• A. Whiteflies
• B. Thrips
• C. Cyclamen Mites
• D. Symphylids

Answer: (A)

Pests that remove plant fluids from leaves do so by piercing the leaf with specialized mouthparts and sucking out sap. Whiteflies are classic sap-suckers on the undersides of leaves, feeding on phloem sap and often causing yellowing, leaf curling, and sticky honeydew that attracts sooty mold. This feeding pattern—drawing out plant fluids from the leaf tissue—fits whiteflies best. Thrips also damage leaves but mainly by rasping the surface and sucking out cell contents, which creates silvery streaks rather than a broad sap-drain effect. Cyclamen mites feed on leaf tissue and cause bronzing or russeting rather than substantial sap removal. Symphylids are soil-dwelling and primarily feed on roots, not leaves. So the pest that fits the description most directly is whiteflies.

Pests that remove plant fluids from leaves do so by piercing the leaf with specialized mouthparts and sucking out sap. Whiteflies are classic sap-suckers on the undersides of leaves, feeding on phloem sap and often causing yellowing, leaf curling, and sticky honeydew that attracts sooty mold. This feeding pattern—drawing out plant fluids from the leaf tissue—fits whiteflies best.

Thrips also damage leaves but mainly by rasping the surface and sucking out cell contents, which creates silvery streaks rather than a broad sap-drain effect. Cyclamen mites feed on leaf tissue and cause bronzing or russeting rather than substantial sap removal. Symphylids are soil-dwelling and primarily feed on roots, not leaves. So the pest that fits the description most directly is whiteflies.