CDFA Pest Prevention Plant Regulation Practice Exam

In which stage does the apple maggot overwinter?

1. Egg stage

2. Larval stage

3. Pupal stage

4. All stages

The correct answer is: Pupal stage

The apple maggot, a significant pest of apple trees, overwinters in the pupal stage. This is the stage where the organism is in a dormant state, developing inside a protective casing. The pupal stage is crucial for its survival through unfavorable winter conditions, allowing it to emerge as an adult in the spring when temperatures warm up and conditions are more favorable for the life cycle to continue. The egg and larval stages do not overwinter as they are vulnerable to environmental stresses and predation during the colder months. Eggs are laid on host plants and quickly develop into larvae, but once the weather turns cold, they are less likely to survive. Therefore, the pupal stage is the only stage where the apple maggot can survive the winter, making it the correct answer. While it may seem intuitive to consider all stages or other options because of the pest's overall life cycle, the specific overwintering characteristic of the apple maggot clarifies that it is solely during the pupal stage that the insect can endure harsh winter conditions.