What group do chewing pests belong to in terms of their feeding mechanism?

Chewing pests are primarily classified in the Coleoptera group, which encompasses beetles. This classification is pertinent because Coleoptera is characterized by hardened forewings and mouthparts specifically adapted for chewing. These adaptations enable these insects to feed on a variety of plant materials, including leaves, stems, and roots.

The other groups listed have different feeding mechanisms. For instance, Orthoptera, which includes grasshoppers and crickets, largely features chewing mouthparts as well, but they are not the predominant group specifically recognized as "chewing pests." Lepidoptera, encompassing butterflies and moths, mainly possess a siphoning type of mouthpart as adults, making them unsuitable in this context. Hemiptera, which includes aphids and true bugs, is known for its piercing-sucking mouthparts that allow these insects to extract sap from plants rather than chewing.

Therefore, the selection of Coleoptera as the answer is accurate because it directly reflects the characteristics and feeding habits of chewing pests.