Which statement is NOT a characteristic of fleas beetle?

Which statement is NOT a characteristic of fleas beetle?

• A. They are small 1-4 mm in length
• B. Their larvae are legless
• C. They jump with their hind legs
• D. They have wings as larvae

Answer: (D)

Flea beetles are tiny jumping leaf beetles with hind legs adapted for quick jumps, typically about 1–4 mm long. Their larvae are legless grubs that live in the soil or on plant roots. A fundamental pattern in beetles and other insects with complete metamorphosis is that wings develop during the transition to the adult, not in the larval stage. So larvae do not have wings. That makes the statement about having wings as larvae not a characteristic of flea beetles. The other traits—being small, having legless larvae, and jumping with the hind legs—are all true for this group.

Flea beetles are tiny jumping leaf beetles with hind legs adapted for quick jumps, typically about 1–4 mm long. Their larvae are legless grubs that live in the soil or on plant roots. A fundamental pattern in beetles and other insects with complete metamorphosis is that wings develop during the transition to the adult, not in the larval stage. So larvae do not have wings. That makes the statement about having wings as larvae not a characteristic of flea beetles. The other traits—being small, having legless larvae, and jumping with the hind legs—are all true for this group.