Which pests are defined as underground pests that primarily feed on roots?

Which pests are defined as underground pests that primarily feed on roots?

• A. White grubs and billbugs
• B. Sod webworms and cutworms
• C. Chinch bugs and white grubs
• D. Armyworms and billbugs

Answer: (A)

Underground root-feeders live in the soil and attack the turf by chewing on the roots. White grubs are the larval stage of scarab beetles and spend their development in the root zone, feeding on grass roots and weakening the stand. Billbugs are another root-feeding group; their larvae specifically target grass roots in the soil, causing similar turf decline. This combination matches the idea of pests that are underground and primarily feed on roots. Other pests listed don’t fit as root feeders: sod webworms and cutworms mostly damage above-ground foliage or feed at the soil surface, chinch bugs suck sap from above-ground parts, and armyworms focus on foliage rather than roots. So white grubs and billbugs are the right pairing for underground root feeding.

Underground root-feeders live in the soil and attack the turf by chewing on the roots. White grubs are the larval stage of scarab beetles and spend their development in the root zone, feeding on grass roots and weakening the stand. Billbugs are another root-feeding group; their larvae specifically target grass roots in the soil, causing similar turf decline. This combination matches the idea of pests that are underground and primarily feed on roots.

Other pests listed don’t fit as root feeders: sod webworms and cutworms mostly damage above-ground foliage or feed at the soil surface, chinch bugs suck sap from above-ground parts, and armyworms focus on foliage rather than roots. So white grubs and billbugs are the right pairing for underground root feeding.