Larvae reach approximately 17 mm before pupating after burrowing in soil. Which statement best describes this stage?

• A. The larvae reach about 5 mm in length.
• B. The larvae reach about 17 mm in length.
• C. The larvae reach about 12 mm in length.
• D. The larvae reach about 25 mm in length.

Answer: (B)

Larvae grow through sequential molts, getting larger as they feed, until they reach the final larval instar just before pupation. A size of about 17 mm indicates they are in that late larval stage, near the transition to pupation, after which they burrow into the soil to form the pupal case. So this stage is best described as the late larval instar just before pupation, which matches the given context of preparing to pupate after soil burial. The other lengths would place the larva in earlier instars or an size not consistent with the pre-pupal stage, so they don’t fit the described scenario.