Understanding Insect Life Cycles

What is a Life Cycle? A life cycle is the continuous sequence of changes undergone by an organism from beginning of life till death. Baby Toddler Child Teenager Adult

Metamorphosis Metamorphosis : refers to the different patterns of development or series of stages within a life cycle. Metamorphosis : refers to the different patterns of development or series of stages within a life cycle. 3 types of insect metamorphosis 3 types of insect metamorphosis ◦Complete ◦Incomplete ◦No metamorphosis

Complete Metamorphosis Egg EggLarvaPupaAdult

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. 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.

Larva 2. Larva: 2. Larva: the immature, wingless, feeding stage of an insect that undergoes complete metamorphosis. Grubs, maggots and caterpillars are insect larvae.

Pupa 3. Pupa: an insect in the nonfeeding, usually immobile, transformation stage between the larva and the adult.

Adult Adult: Adults look very different after they immerge from the pupa.

Incomplete Metamorphosis Egg Wingless Nymph 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.

No Metamorphosis Egg NymphAdult

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.

Aphids Aphids have a strange life cycle. Some aphids are born live. They do not have an egg stage. Aphids have a strange life cycle. Some aphids are born live. They do not have an egg stage.

Metamorphosis based on Orders: No Metamorphosis-Thysanura No Metamorphosis-Thysanura Incomplete Metamorphosis-Orthoptera Incomplete Metamorphosis-Orthoptera Hemiptera Hemiptera Homoptera Homoptera Dermaptera Dermaptera Thysanoptera Thysanoptera Isoptera Isoptera Phthirptera Phthirptera Odonata Odonata Complete Metamorphosis-Siphonoptera Complete Metamorphosis-Siphonoptera Neuroptera Neuroptera Hymenoptera Hymenoptera Diptera Diptera Lepidoptera Lepidoptera Coleoptera Coleoptera