What is an insect? Insects have three body sections, six legs, one pair of antennae, and usually one or two pairs of wings. The three body sections are the head, thorax, and abdomen, as you can see in the diagram. (contd.)

An insect’s rigid outer covering is its exoskeleton An insect’s rigid outer covering is its exoskeleton. In order for the insect to grow, it must shed and regrow its exoskeleton through molting. After it hatches, an insect begins a process of metamorphosis that eventually produces an adult insect. 1. Infer Why is molting important as an insect grows?

What is complete metamorphosis? In complete metamorphosis, an insect goes through four stages: (1) egg hatches into a larva; (2) larva eats and grows (3) larva becomes a pupa (4) pupa develops into an adult The pupa does not eat. Major changes take place in the insect’s body as it becomes an adult. 2. Explain What happens during the pupa stage of complete metamorphosis?

What is incomplete metamorphosis? There is no larva stage or pupa stage in incomplete metamorphosis. The egg hatches into a stage called a nymph. A nymph usually looks like the adult insect without wings. A nymph may molt several times before becoming an adult. 3. Describe How is incomplete metamorphosis different from complete metamorphosis?