Understanding Insect Life
Cycles
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A life cycle is the continuous sequence of
changes undergone by an organism from
beginning of life till death.
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Baby
Toddler
Child
Teenager
Adult
What is a Life Cycle?
Metamorphosis : refers to the different
patterns of development or series of
stages within a life cycle.
 3 types of insect metamorphosis
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◦ Complete
◦ Incomplete
◦ No metamorphosis
Metamorphosis
Egg
Larva
Pupa
Adult
Complete Metamorphosis
1.Egg: insects lay eggs on leaves, in trees,
animal carcasses and in water. Some insect
eggs serve as time capsules to help the
population survive harsh conditions, not
hatching until the conditions improve.
Complete Metamorphosis
2. Larva: the immature, wingless, feeding
stage of an insect that undergoes
complete metamorphosis.
Grubs, maggots and caterpillars are insect
larvae.
Larva
Pupa
3. Pupa: an insect in the nonfeeding,
usually immobile, transformation stage
between the larva and the adult.
Adult: Adults look very different after they
immerge from the pupa.
Adult
Egg
Wingless Nymph
Wingless Nymph
Incomplete Metamorphosis
Adult
Nymph: the young of an insect that
undergoes incomplete metamorphosis.
 Instars: A stage of an insect or other
arthropod between molts. Some insects
go through as many as 16 instars before
becoming an adult.
 Adult: Look similar to the nymph but
hasn’t gone through a pupal stage.
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Egg
Nymph
No Metamorphosis
Adult
Young : The young of no metamorphosis
insects are different in that they look
exactly like the adult but may not have
the reproductive organs.
 Silver fish and Springtails have this
metamorphosis.
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Aphids have a strange life cycle. Some
aphids are born live. They do not have an
egg stage.
Aphids
Metamorphosis based on Orders:
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No Metamorphosis-
Thysanura
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Incomplete Metamorphosis-
Orthoptera
Hemiptera
Homoptera
Dermaptera
Thysanoptera
Isoptera
Phthirptera
Odonata
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Complete Metamorphosis-
Siphonoptera
Neuroptera
Hymenoptera
Diptera
Lepidoptera
Coleoptera