Caterpillars cause which type of leaf damage?

Caterpillars cause which type of leaf damage?

• A. Notched or ragged leaves
• B. Yellowed leaves
• C. Rust spots
• D. Girdled stems

Answer: (A)

When caterpillars feed, they chew on leaf tissue along the edges, leaving irregular, jagged margins that look notched or ragged. This edge-chewing pattern is a hallmark of caterpillar damage. Other options point to different problems: yellowed leaves usually signal stress or nutrient/water issues, rust spots come from fungal infections, and girdled stems result from pests that chew around or bore into stems, not from leaf-chewing. So the notched or ragged leaf appearance is the best match for caterpillar damage.

When caterpillars feed, they chew on leaf tissue along the edges, leaving irregular, jagged margins that look notched or ragged. This edge-chewing pattern is a hallmark of caterpillar damage. Other options point to different problems: yellowed leaves usually signal stress or nutrient/water issues, rust spots come from fungal infections, and girdled stems result from pests that chew around or bore into stems, not from leaf-chewing. So the notched or ragged leaf appearance is the best match for caterpillar damage.