In sorghum, damage occurs if these insects migrate from maturing wheat fields to suck juice from seedling plants.

In sorghum, damage occurs if these insects migrate from maturing wheat fields to suck juice from seedling plants.

• A. chinch bugs
• B. cattail caterpillars
• C. fall armyworms
• D. false chinch bugs

Answer: (A)

Chinch bugs are sap-sucking insects that commonly move from maturing wheat fields into sorghum to feed on young plants. As they pierce plant tissues and withdraw sap, they disrupt the plant’s ability to take up water and nutrients, which can cause wilting, leaf scorch, stunted growth, and stand losses in sorghum seedlings. Sorghum seedlings are especially vulnerable, so this migratory behavior from nearby small grains into sorghum is what leads to damage. The other insects don’t fit this specific migration pattern: cattail caterpillars focus on different hosts, fall armyworms are general feeders not defined by moving from wheat into sorghum, and false chinch bugs aren’t the classic migratory threat in this scenario.

Chinch bugs are sap-sucking insects that commonly move from maturing wheat fields into sorghum to feed on young plants. As they pierce plant tissues and withdraw sap, they disrupt the plant’s ability to take up water and nutrients, which can cause wilting, leaf scorch, stunted growth, and stand losses in sorghum seedlings. Sorghum seedlings are especially vulnerable, so this migratory behavior from nearby small grains into sorghum is what leads to damage. The other insects don’t fit this specific migration pattern: cattail caterpillars focus on different hosts, fall armyworms are general feeders not defined by moving from wheat into sorghum, and false chinch bugs aren’t the classic migratory threat in this scenario.