Mouth part adapted for piercing and sucking is found in

1. Analyze the question The question asks which insect has mouthparts adapted for piercing and sucking, meaning the mouth can puncture a surface (skin or plant tissue) and draw up fluids such as blood or sap.

2. Explain the concept Insects have different mouthparts depending on how they feed:

| Insect | Type of mouthpart | Feeding method | |---|---|---| | Housefly | Sponging (lapping) | Soaks up liquid food with a spongy labellum | | Grasshopper | Biting and chewing | Cuts and grinds leaves | | Mosquito | Piercing and sucking | Pierces skin and sucks blood | | Cockroach | Biting and chewing | Chews solid food | | Butterfly/moth | Siphoning | Sucks nectar through a coiled tube |

3. Step-by-step solution

• A. Housefly: It has sponging mouthparts. It cannot pierce, so it vomits digestive fluid on food and sponges it up. Not correct.
• B. Grasshopper: It has strong mandibles for biting and chewing plants. Not correct.
• C. Mosquito: The female has a long proboscis made of modified mouthparts (stylets) that pierce the skin of a host and suck blood. This is correct.
• D. Cockroach: It has biting and chewing mouthparts. Not correct.

4. Answer The correct option is C. mosquito.

5. Exam tip Remember these pairs:

• Mosquito, aphid, bug → piercing and sucking
• Housefly → sponging
• Grasshopper, cockroach, termite → biting and chewing
• Butterfly → siphoning

A handy phrase is "Mosquito Pierces, housefly Sponges." In JAMB, expect questions on this topic often, since it links to disease vectors such as malaria (female Anopheles mosquito).