Which statement describes potato leafhopper nymphs?

Which statement describes potato leafhopper nymphs?

• A. Nymphs are smaller with no wings, found on the underside of foliage, cause white stippling and stunted, curled shoots brown at the tips.
• B. Nymphs are winged and feed on flowers.
• C. Nymphs are large and predatory.
• D. Nymphs feed on roots underground.

Answer: (A)

Nymphs of the potato leafhopper are the immature, wingless stage that stay on the plant leaves. They feed by piercing the leaf surface and sucking sap, which produces the characteristic white stippling on the foliage. This feeding also causes growth problems such as stunting and curling of new shoots, with the tips turning brown. They are found on the underside of leaves and are not able to fly like adults. Other descriptions don’t fit because winged insects are the adults, not nymphs; nymphs do not feed on flowers, aren’t large or predatory, and they do not feed on roots underground. The description that matches these nymphs—small, wingless, on the underside of foliage, causing white stippling and stunted, curled shoots with brown tips—best describes potato leafhopper nymphs.

Nymphs of the potato leafhopper are the immature, wingless stage that stay on the plant leaves. They feed by piercing the leaf surface and sucking sap, which produces the characteristic white stippling on the foliage. This feeding also causes growth problems such as stunting and curling of new shoots, with the tips turning brown. They are found on the underside of leaves and are not able to fly like adults.

Other descriptions don’t fit because winged insects are the adults, not nymphs; nymphs do not feed on flowers, aren’t large or predatory, and they do not feed on roots underground. The description that matches these nymphs—small, wingless, on the underside of foliage, causing white stippling and stunted, curled shoots with brown tips—best describes potato leafhopper nymphs.