The diagrams below illustrate pests of crops. Study them and answer the questions that follow....

Explanation

(a) Name of pests

I Grasshopper

II Weevil

III Cotton stainer

(b)Life cycle of the pest labelled I (Grasshopper)

• The female lays eggs on the underside of leaves/ dig hole in the soil / decaying wood;
• The eggs hatch into nymphs;
• The nymphs move to farms and feed on cassava leaves or other shrubs till they become adults;
• The nymph moults five times before becoming adult grasshopper;
• It undergoes incomplete metamorphosis.

(c)Damages caused by the pest labelled III (Cotton stainer) on crops

• Transmits diseases;
• Causes leaf distortion;
• Pierces and sucks sap from crop tissues;
• Reduces the quality of bolls;
• Produces saliva which is toxic to crops;
• Wounds caused by the pest to plants leads to secondary infection.

(d)Ways of controlling the pest labelled IV (Bird)

• Use of avicides;
• Drumming or noise making on the farm;
• Use of cage traps;
• Use of scarecrow or bird scarers;
• Shooting with catapult/sling;
• Fencing/screening farms in greenhouse;
• Destruction of the birds’ nests