ACE Nutrition & Dietary Needs 2

Question 1

Which nutrient class provides the primary energy source for most insects during flight?

Accepted Answer

Lipids

Answer

Lipids (particularly stored fat) serve as the primary fuel for sustained insect flight due to their high energy density.

Question 2

What is the term for insects that feed exclusively on plant sap from the phloem?

Accepted Answer

Phloem feeders

Answer

Phloem feeders, such as aphids and whiteflies, use piercing-sucking mouthparts to access nutrient-rich phloem sap.

Question 3

Symbiotic microorganisms in the gut of wood-boring beetles primarily help the host by:

Accepted Answer

Synthesizing essential amino acids

Answer

Endosymbiotic bacteria in wood-borers supplement the nitrogen-poor wood diet by synthesizing essential amino acids the host cannot produce.

Question 4

Which of the following is an example of a stenophagous insect?

Accepted Answer

Monarch butterfly larva

Answer

Monarch butterfly larvae are stenophagous, feeding almost exclusively on milkweed (Asclepias spp.).

Question 5

The primary role of sterols in insect nutrition is to:

Accepted Answer

Serve as precursors for molting hormones

Answer

Insects cannot synthesize sterols de novo and must obtain them from the diet; sterols are essential precursors for ecdysteroids (molting hormones).

(ACE) Associate Certified Entomologist Practice Test