Daily Trivia Quiz - Day 212 (2026-06-11)

Question 1

Dandelions — one of the most common garden weeds — are edible. But beyond being edible, what ecological role makes them unusually valuable in early spring?

Accepted Answer

They are among the first flowers to bloom, providing early food for bees emerging from winter

Answer

Their petals release compounds that kill common garden pests

Answer

They fix nitrogen from the atmosphere directly into the soil

Answer

Their seeds carry fungal spores that suppress competing weeds

Question 2

Bindweed is notoriously hard to kill in gardens. What makes it so difficult to eradicate compared to most weeds?

Accepted Answer

Its root system can extend several meters deep and regenerate from tiny fragments

Answer

It produces chemical compounds that neutralize common herbicides

Answer

It spreads primarily through airborne seeds that recolonize within days

Answer

It grows faster than any other temperate plant — up to 10 cm per day

Question 3

Many common garden weeds are edible — and were actually eaten regularly before modern agriculture made other food abundant. Which of these familiar garden 'pests' was historically eaten as a leaf vegetable?

Accepted Answer

Chickweed

Answer

Field bindweed

Answer

Common ragwort

Answer

Foxglove

Question 4

Overwatering kills more houseplants than underwatering. What is the actual mechanism that kills an overwatered plant?

Accepted Answer

Root rot caused by anaerobic bacteria and fungi in waterlogged soil

Answer

The roots absorb too much water and cells burst

Answer

Excess water flushes out nutrients from the soil

Answer

Wet leaves send a chemical signal that stops root growth

Question 5

Many popular houseplants are toxic to cats and dogs, but one very common one surprises most owners. Which beloved houseplant is toxic to both cats and dogs?

Accepted Answer

Pothos (Devil's Ivy)

Answer

Spider plants

Answer

Boston ferns

Answer

Bamboo palms

Question 6

Mosquitoes find you partly by detecting CO₂. But research shows one thing attracts them significantly more than others. What is it?

Accepted Answer

Body odor — specific compounds in skin bacteria

Answer

Hair color, which they can detect from several meters away

Answer

The brightness of a phone screen in a pocket

Answer

The sound of a person's heartbeat through clothing

Question 7

Mosquitoes have existed largely unchanged for an astonishing amount of time. How far back do mosquito fossils date?

Accepted Answer

Around 100 million years — the age of dinosaurs

Answer

About 10 million years

Answer

Around 50 million years — early mammals

Answer

2 million years — concurrent with early humans

Question 8

Why do many houseplants lean toward a bright window over time?

Accepted Answer

Cells on the shaded side elongate more, bending the stem toward light

Answer

The leaves become heavier in sunlight

Answer

Warm glass pulls moisture out of one side

Answer

Roots grow away from the window and tip the pot

Question 9

A variegated houseplant's white leaf patches look striking, but what can they usually do less of?

Accepted Answer

Photosynthesis

Answer

Store extra sugars for winter

Answer

Absorb water through the leaf surface

Answer

Convert minerals into green pigment

Question 10

Can a few ordinary houseplants meaningfully clean the air of a normal room as quickly as ventilation does?

Accepted Answer

No, typical room ventilation is far more effective

Answer

Yes, one leafy plant cleans any bedroom in minutes

Answer

Yes, but only when plants are kept in darkness

Answer

No, because plants cannot absorb airborne chemicals at all