Georgia Pest Control Practice Test

A living plant or animal that a pest depends on for survival is known as a(n):

1. Host

2. Ectoparasite

3. Endoparasite

4. Bug

The correct answer is: Host

The term "host" is used to refer to a living plant or animal upon which a pest relies for survival, sustenance, or reproduction. In pest management and ecology, the relationship between the host and the pest is crucial, as it defines how the pest interacts with the ecosystem and affects the health of the host organism. Hosts can be plants, animals, or humans, and they provide the necessary resources for the pest's growth and reproduction. In contrast, the other terms have specific meanings that relate to different types of organisms and their ecological relationships. Ectoparasites are organisms that live on the external surface of their host, while endoparasites live inside their host. Both ecto- and endoparasites rely on hosts for their life cycles, but they are more specific types of pests distinguished by their residing location relative to their hosts. The term "bug" is a more general descriptor that does not specifically indicate the dependence on a host, as it can refer to a wide range of insects without this critical ecological context.