How do piercing-sucking insects feed on plants?

Piercing-sucking insects have specialized mouthparts that allow them to extract fluids from plants. These insects—such as aphids, leafhoppers, and spider mites—use their elongated mouthparts to pierce the plant's tissues. This method enables them to access the phloem and xylem, where vital nutrients and water are stored.

When they feed, these insects insert their mouthparts into the plant and draw out the plant sap, which is rich in sugars and other nutrients that sustain them. This feeding method is particularly damaging to plants, as it can weaken them and lead to stunted growth, wilting, and sometimes even death due to the loss of vital fluids and the potential for virus transmission through contaminated saliva.

The other options do not accurately represent the feeding method of piercing-sucking insects. Chewing leaves and stems relates to insects that use mandibles to mechanically break down plant material, while creating holes or injecting enzymes are not characteristic of this feeding style; instead, they pertain to other types of feeding strategies employed by different insects.