MCQ

1. Identify the type of parthenogenesis by which only males are produced –

Thelytoky Amphitoky Arrhenotoky Deuterotoky

2. Panoistic ovariole is found in which insect?

Grasshopper Leafhopper Moths Cockroach

3. Identify the endocrine gland producing juvenile hormone –

Corpora cardiaca Corpora allata Prothoracic glands Weismann's ring

4. Which one of the following is an example of Paleopteran insect?

Zoraptera Dictyoptera Ephemeroptera Thysanura

5. Fenestrae is found in which insect?

Mantids Termites Bees Cockroaches

6. Which on of the following explains the term 'Physogastry'?

The nozzle shaped Fauna living alongside

Obesity in queen termite Exchange of food between
projection in nasute the termites inside the
after mating termites
soldiers termitaria

7. Vasiform orifice can be found in which insect family?

Cicadellidae Aphididae Aleurodidae Pseudococcidae

8. Cornicles are found in which insect?

Whiteflies Thrips Aphids Leafhoppers

9. Who coined the term 'Ecology'?

Charles Darwin Eugine Odum Ernst Haeckel R.H. Painter

10. Identify the 'Zone of Effective Temperature' -

35°C to 50°C 5°C to 25°C 10°C to 35°C 15°C to 40°C

11. Locusts sexually mature quicker and the number of eggs laid are more at what percentage of
relative humidity?
75% 80% 70% 60%
12. Insects which are active during dawn are named as –

Diurnal Crepuscular Nocturnal Matinal

13. Citronella oil acts as a repellent for which insect?

Honey bees Moths Mosquitoes Fleas

14. Insecticides act was enacted in which year?

1946 1905 1968 1971

15. 'Gossyplure' is the sex pheromone for which insect?

Pink bollworm Silkworm Gram pod borer Tobacco cutworm

16. When a pest occurs mostly during a particular part of the year and usually the incidence is
governed by climatic conditions, then the pest is called as –

Endemic pest Persistent pest Seasonal pest Epidemic pest

17. The lowest population at which the pest will cause economic damage is termed as what?

ETL GEP EIL MEP

18. What is the scientific name of green muscardine fungus?

Lecanicillium lecanii Beauveria bassiana Metarhizium anisopliae Hirsutella thompsonii

19. What is the oral LD50 value for moderately toxic insecticides?

1-50 mg/kg 51-500 mg/kg 501-5000 mg/kg >5001 mg/kg

20. Choose the correct option:Formation of alley ways for every 2 m in rice field to control
BPH is a type of -

Mechanical Control Cultural Control Physical Control Host-Plant Resistance

 1. Discuss about the advantages of integrated pest management (IPM).

Advantages of IPM:
1. IPM increases crop yield and farmers’ income.
2. The use of insecticides may be reduced up to 80% of total use of crop yield may be increased up to
10% through IPM.
3. IPM conserves the ecosystem and ensures the reliability and stability of farm output.
4. IPM reduces the risk of farmers and the public.
5. It helps farmers to become self-reliant.
6. It helps to reduce the national expenditure on pesticides.
7. IPM reduces health care costs.
8. It increases the savings of farmers.
9. IPM directly helps to increase farmers’ income.

2. Identify the adaptations in insects to conserve body moisture.

Adaptations to conserve moisture:

1. Body pigments: Insects develop dark pigment in cooler areas which help to absorb more heat
from sun for raising body temperature. This aids in getting rid of excessive moisture from the body.
Light colour in desert insects helps to reflect sun’s rays and save them from excessive evaporation.
2. Integument: Well developed integument and fused sclerites in beetles end weevils aid in
conserving body moisture. Waxy coating of integument also saves from excessive evaporation.
3. Winglessness: Grasshoppers and crickets in arid regions have poorly developed wings and some
are wingless by which the area of evaporation is reduced.
4. Pilocity: Dense hairs on the body prevent evaporation.
5. Form of body: Oval and compressed body of some desert beetles protects them from hot winds.
Some desert insects have burrowing habit by which they go into deeper layers of soil when sufficient
moisture is not available.
6. By reabsorption of water from products of excretion.
7. Some insects links Amsacta spp. enter into aestivation when dry conditions prevail.

3. Identify the effects of air pressure, wind and air currents, and edaphic factors on insects.

i) Atmospheric pressure: It is generally of little importance.Locust show great excitement and

abnormal activity about half an hour before the occurrence of storm when the atmospheric pressure
is low. Drosophila flies stop moving when put under vacuum.
ii) Wind and Air currents: Most of the insects will not take flight when speed of wind exceeds the
normal flight speed. Air currents, especially in the upper air being strong, carries many insects like
aphids white flies, scales etc. to far-off places and is an important factor in dispersal. Air movement
may also be directly responsible for death of insects. Severe wind coupled with heavy rains cause
mortality and moisture evaporation from body surface of insects.
iii) Edaphic (Soil) factors: Loamy soils allow digging and burrowing operation and are usually
favourable for insects. Agrotis splive in soil of fairly light texture in which they move around freely in
response to daily or seasonal temperature and moisture changes.

4. Identify the qualities of a successful parasitoid in Biological control.

Qualities of a Successful Parasitoid in Biological Control Programme:

A parasitoid should have the following qualities for its successful performance -
1. Should be adaptable to environmental conditions in the new locally.
2. Should be able to survive in all habitats of the host.
3. Should be specific to a particulars sp. of host or at least a narrowly limited range of hosts.
4. Should be able to multiply faster than the host.
5. Should be having more fecundity.
6. Life cycle must be shorter than that of the host.
7. Should have high sex ratio.
8. Should have good searching capacity for host.
9. Should be amendable for mass multiplication in the labs.
10. Should bring down host population within 3 years.
11. There should be quick dispersal of the parasitoid in the locality.
12. It Should be free from hyperparasitoids.

5. Identify the qualities of a successful insect predator in Biological control.

Insect predator qualities:

1. A predator generally feeds on many different species of prey , thus being a generalist or
polyphagous nature.
2. A predator is relatively large compared to its prey , which it seizes and devours quickly.
3. Typically individual predator consumes large number of prey in its life time. Eg: A single coccinellid
predator larva may consume hundreds of aphids.
4. Predators kill and consume their prey quickly , usually via extra oral digestion.
5. Predators are very efficient in search of their prey and capacity for swift movements.
6. Predators develop separately from their prey and may live in the same habitat or adjacent
habitats.
7. Structural adaptation with well developed sense organs to locate the prey.
8. Predator is carnivorous in both its immature and adult stages and feeds on the same kind of prey
in both the stages.
9. May have cryptic colourations and deceptive markings. Eg. Preying mantids and Robber flies.

6. Identify the advantages and disadvantages of biological control.

Advantages of Biological control:

1. Control of the insect is achieved in a wide area.
2. The pest is hunted out and thus complete control over a large area is possible.
3. Biological agent survives as long as the pest is prevalent and hence control is effective over longer
periods.
4. Though the initial cost is more it will be cheaper in a long run since after, few years of field,
release, when it got established there may not be any necessity to propagate it further.
5. Compatible with other methods.
Disadvantages:
1. It is a slow process and takes a long time.
2. Natural enemies can not be restricted to particular pest, crop or areas.
3. Presence alternate hosts delays the biological control.
4. If hyper parasites are there the effect of parasites is adversely affected.
5. Expensive to develop and supply bioagents.

7. Identify the different catagories of insecticides based on their mode of action.

1. Physical poisons: Bring about the kill of insects by exerting a physical effect. Eg: Heavy oils, tar oils
etc. which cause death by asphyxiation. Inert dusts effect loss of body moisture by their abrasiveness
as in aluminium oxide or absorb moisture from the body as in charcoal.
2. Protoplasmic poisons: A toxicant responsible for precipitation of protein especially destruction of
cellular protoplasm of midgut epithelium. Eg. Arsenical compounds.
3. Respiratory poisons: Chemicals which block cellular respiration as in hydrogen cyanide (HCN),
carbon monoxide etc.
4. Nerve poisons: Chemicals which block Acetyl cholinesterase(AChE) and effect the nervous system.
Eg. Organophosphorous, carbamates.
5. Chitin inhibitors: Chitin inhibitors interfere with process of synthesis of chitin due to which normal
moulting and development is disrupted. Eg. Novaluron, Diflubenzuran, Lufenuron, Buprofezin.
6. General Poisons: Compounds which include neurotoxic symptoms after some period and do not
belong to the above categories. Eg.Chlordane, Toxaphene, aldrin.

8. Identify the limitations of chemical control.

Limitations of chemical control:

1. Harmful to non target organisms.
2. Many pesticides bring about the secondary infestation of non target pests and resurgence of
target pests.
3. Other beneficial insects like pollinators, honeybees, weed killers may also be killed.
4. There is a risk to man and livestock.
5. Some pesticides may cause phytotoxicity.
6. Some insecticides leave residues which cause environmental pollution.
7. Some insects may develop resistance to insecticides.
8. Some insecticides accumulate in body tissue become dangerous even without any prior
indications.
9. Some insecticides have a tendency to be passed over from one food source to another food
source.

9. What are the general characters of the order Orthoptera?

Order: Orthoptera
Common names: Grasshoppers, Locust, Katydid, Cricket, Mole cricket
Characters:
1. They are medium to large sized insects.
2. Antenna is filiform.
3. Mouthparts are mandibulate.
4. Prothorax is large. Pronotum is curved, ventrally covering the pleural region.
5. Hindlegs are saltatorial
6. Forewings are leathery, thickened and known as tegmina.
7. They are capable of bending without breaking.
8. Hindwings are membranous with large anal area. They are folded by longitudinal pleats between
veins and kept beneath the tegmina.
9. Cerci are short and unsegmented.
10. Ovipositor is well developed in female.
11. Metamorphosis is gradual. In many Orthopterans the newly hatched frist instar nymphs are
covered by loose cuticle and are called pronymphs. Wing pads of nymphs undergo reversal during
development.
12. Specialized stridulatory (sound-producing) and auditory (hearing) organs are present.
 10. Illustrate the characters of the order Lepidoptera.

Order: Lepidoptera
Common names: Moths, Butterflies, Skippers
Characters:
1. Body, wings, appendages, are densely clothed with overlapping scales, which give colour, rigidity
and strength. They insulate the body and smoothen air flow over the body.
2. Mouthparts in adults are of siphoning type. Mandibles are absent. The galeae of maxillae are
greatly elongated and are held together by interlocking hooks and spines. The suctorial proboscis is
coiled up like a watch spring and kept beneath the head when not in use.
3. Wings are membranous and are covered with overlapping pigmented scales. Forewings are larger
than hind wings. Cross veins are few. Wings are coupled by either frenate or amplexiform type of
wing coupling.
4. Larvae are polypod-eruciform type. Mouthparts are adapted for chewing with strong mandibles. A
group of lateral ocelli is found on either side of the head. The antenna is short and three segmented.
There are three pairs of five segmented thoracic legs ending in claws. Two to five pairs of fleshy
unsegmented prolegs are found in the abdomen. At the bottom of the proleg, crochets are present.
5. Pupa is generally obtect. It is either naked or enclosed in a cocoon made out of soil, frass, silk or
larval hairs.

11. List down the characters of the family Coccinellidae.

COCCINELLIDAE (Lady bird beetles)

1. They are hemispherical. The body is convex above and flat below.
2. Their body appearance resembles a split pea.
3. Head is small, turned downward and received into a prominent notch of prothorax.
4. Elytra is strongly convex, brightly coloured and variously spotted.
5. Grubs are compodeiform and spiny.
6. The last larval skin either cover the pupa or gets attached to the anal end of the pupa.
7. Except the genus Epilachna, others are predators on aphids, scales, mites and whiteflies.

12. List down the characters of the family Curculionidae.

CURCULIONIDAE (Weevils, snout beetles)

1. Minute to large sized insects.
2. Frons and vertex of the head are produced into snout. It is cylindrical and in some species larger
than the beetle itself.
3. Mouthparts (Mandibles and maxillae) are present at the tip of the snout. It is useful to feed on
internal tissues of the plant and provide a place for egg laying.
4. Antenna is geniculate and found usually in the middle of the snout.
5. Grubs are apodous and eucephalous.
6. Weevils are important crop pests occuring both in field and storage.
Eg. Coconut red palm weevil: Rhynchophorus ferrugineus.
 5 marks

1. Explain different types of reproduction found in insects.

TYPES OF REPRODUCTION:
1. OVIPARITY: Majority of female insects are oviparous that is, they lay eggs. Embryonic
development occurs after oviposition by utilizing the yolk, e.g. Head louse moths.
2. VIVIPARITY: Unlike oviparous, here initiation of egg development take place within the mother.
The life cycle is shortened by retention of eggs and even developing young within the mother. Four
main types of viviparity are observed in different insect groups, viz. -
i. OVOVIVIPARITY: Fertilized eggs containing yolk are incubated inside the reproductive tract of the
female and hatching of egg occur just prior to or soon after oviposition e.g. Thysanoptera, some
cockroaches, few beetles, and some flies-(fleshfly). Fecundity of this group is low.
ii. PESEUDOPLACENTAL VIVIPARITY: This occurs when a yolk-deficient egg develops in the genital
tract of the female. The mother provides a special placenta-like tissue, through which nutrients are
transferred to developing embryos. There is no oral feeding and larvae are laid upon hatching. e.g.
aphids, some earwigs, psocids and polytenid bugs.
iii. HAEMOCOELOUS VIVIPARITY: This involves embryos developing free in the female's
haemolymph with nutrients taken up by osmosis. This form of internal parasitism occurs only in
sterpsiptera and some gall midges.
iv. ADENOTROPHIC VIVIPARITY: This occurs when a poorly developed larva hatches and feeds orally
from accessory (milk) gland secretion within the uterus of the mother's reproductive system. The full
grown larva is deposited and pupariates immediately (eg) tsetse flies, louse or wallaby flies, bat flies.
3. PARTHENOGENESIS: Reproduction without fertilization is called parthenogenesis. Different types
of parthenogenesis are as follows -
I. BASED ON OCCURRENCE: i. Facultative (not compulsory) - e.g. bee. ii. Obligatory or constant
(compulsory) - e.g. stick insect iii. Cyclic or spordic: alternation of gamic and agamic population, e.g.
aphid.
II. BASED ON SEX PRODUCED: i. Arrhenotoky: Produce male e.g. bee ii. Thelytoky: produce female
e.g. aphids iii. Amphitoky or deuterotoky: produce both male and female e.g. cynipid wasp.
III. BASED ON MEIOSIS: i. Apodictic: no meiosis occurs ii. Automictic: meiosis occurs, but diploidy is
maintained
4.POLYEMBRYONY: This form of asexual reproduction involves the production of two or more
embryos from one egg by subdivision. Mostly observed in parasitic insects (e.g. platygaster).
Nutrition for a large number of developing embryo cannot be supplied by the original egg and is
acquired from the host's haemolmph through a specialized enveloping membrane called
trophamnion.
5.PAEDOGENESIS: Some insect cut short their life cycles by loss of adult and pupal stages. In this
precocious stage gonads develop and give birth to young one by parthenogenesis.
i. Larval paedogenesis - e.g. gall midges ii. Pupal paedogenesis - eg Miaster sp.
 2. Briefly elaborate the female reproductive system in insects.

Female reproductive system:

The main functions of the female reproductive system are egg production and storage of male's
spermatozoa until the eggs are ready to be fertilized. The basic components of the female system
are paired ovaries, which empty their mature oocytes (eggs) via the calyces (Calyx) into the lateral
oviduct which unite to form the common (median) oviduct. The gonopore (opening) of the common
oviduct is usually concealed in an inflection of the body wall that typically forms a cavity, the genital
chamber. This chamber serves as a copulatory pouch during mating and thus is often known as the
bursa copulatrix. Its external opening is the vulva. In many insects the vulva is narrow and the genital
chamber becomes an enclosed pouch or tube referred to as the vagina.
Two types of ectodermal glands open into the genital chamber. The first is the spermatheca which
stores spermatoza until they are needed for egg fertilization. The spermatheca is single and sac-like
with a slender duct, and often has a diverticulum that forms a tubular spermathecal gland. The gland
or glandular cells within the storage part of the spermatheca provide nourishment to the contained
spermatozoa.
The second type of ectodermal gland, known collectively as accessory glands, opens more
posteriorly in the genital chamber. Each ovary is composed of a cluster of egg or ovarian tubes, the
ovarioles, each consisting of a terminal filament, a germarium (in which mitosis gives rise to primary
oocytes), a vitellarium (in which oocytes grow by deposition of yolk in a process known as
vitellogenesis) and a pedicel. An ovariole contain a series of developing oocytes each surrounded by
a layer of follicle cells forming an epithelium (the oocyte with its epithelium is termed a follicle), the
youngest oocyte occur near the apical germarium and the most mature near the pedicel. There are
different types of ovarioless based on the presence or absence of specialized nutritive cells called
trophocytes / nurse cells for nourishment of oocytes.
(i) Paniostic ovariole: Lacks specialized nutritive cells so that it contains only a string of follicles, with
the oocytes obtaining nutrients from the haemolymph via the follicular epithelium. e.g. Cockroach.
(ii) Telotrophic ovariole: (Acrotrophic) The trophocyte is present and its location is confined to the
germarium and remain connected to the oocytes by cytoplasmic strands as the oocytes move down
the ovariole. eg. bugs.
(iii) Polytrophic ovariole: A number of trophocytes are connected to each oocyte and trophocytes
moves down along with the ovariole, providing nutrients until depleted. Thus individual oocytes are
alternated with groups of smaller trophocytes in the ovarioles. e.g. moths and flies.
Accessory glands of the female reproductive tract are often called as colleterial or cement glands,
because their secretions surround and protect the eggs or cement them to the substrate. e.g. egg
case production in mantis, ootheca formation in cockroach, venom production in bees.