Honeydew and sooty mold are commonly associated with which pests?

• A. White powdery growth on leaves and stems
• B. Pear-shaped body
• C. Aphids and whiteflies
• D. On the underside of leaves

Answer: (C)

Honeydew is the sugary excretion produced by sap-sucking insects. When these pests feed on plant sap, they leave behind honeydew on leaves and stems. Sooty mold fungi colonize that honeydew, creating a dark, film-like coating that blocks light and reduces photosynthesis. Because honeydew and sooty mold come from sap-sucking pests, aphids and whiteflies are the pests most commonly associated with this problem. The other options don’t fit this scenario: powdery mildew is a fungal disease that appears as white powder on plant surfaces, a pear-shaped body is just a physical description of a pest, and being on the underside of leaves is a location where many pests feed but doesn’t explain the honeydew-sooty mold relationship.