Life cycles?

Question

What insects have complete life cycles and what insects have incomplete life cycles?

Answer 1

There are three different types of insect life cycles. Some insects go through complete metamorphosis (change). This is where the larva (immature insect) is very different from the adult, and a distinct pupa (ex: cocoon) is formed. The stages of complete metamorphosis are egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The larva goes through different stages of growth as it molts (sheds) its exoskeleton. (Some well known examples are True Flies (Diptera) and their maggots, Butterflies (Lepidoptera) and their caterpillars, Dobsonflies (Neuroptera)and their hellgrammites and Beetles (Coleoptera) and their grubs. )

Incomplete metamorphosis is where the immature stage (or nymph) looks like the adult. There is no pupa stage. The stages of incomplete metamorphosis are egg, immature, immature, and adult. There are as many immature stages as the insect molts its exoskeleton. (Some good common examples are Cockroaches, Grasshoppers, Crickets, Stick Insects and True Bugs (Shield bugs, Squash bugs, Stink bugs etc.)

Ametabolous insects do not show metamorphosis. The immature insect looks just like the adult, only it may be missing sexual organs. The ametabolous stages are egg, larva (many), and adult.

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Answer 2

Insects that encounter predators or pesticides before they can reproduce have incomplete life cycles.

Answer 3

Insects such as beetles, flies, ants, wasps and butterflies go through complete metamorphosis.

Insects such as dragonflies, grasshoppers, leaf hoppers, cockroaches and true bugs go through incomplete metamorphosis.