Understanding Insect Life Understanding Insect Life CyclesCycles

What is a Life Cycle?What is a Life Cycle?

A life cycle is the continuous sequence of changes undergone by an organism from beginning of life till death.

BabyToddlerChildTeenagerAdult

MetamorphosisMetamorphosis

Metamorphosis : refers to the different Metamorphosis : refers to the different patterns of development or series of patterns of development or series of stages within a life cycle.stages within a life cycle.

3 types of insect metamorphosis3 types of insect metamorphosis◦CompleteComplete◦IncompleteIncomplete◦No metamorphosisNo metamorphosis

Complete MetamorphosisComplete Metamorphosis

EggEgg LarvaLarva PupaPupa AdultAdult

Complete MetamorphosisComplete Metamorphosis

1.Egg: insects lay eggs on leaves, in trees, 1.Egg: insects lay eggs on leaves, in trees, animal carcasses and in water. Some insect animal carcasses and in water. Some insect eggs serve as time capsules to help the eggs serve as time capsules to help the population survive harsh conditions, not population survive harsh conditions, not hatching until the conditions improve. hatching until the conditions improve.

LarvaLarva

2. Larva: 2. Larva: the immature, wingless, feeding stage of an insect that undergoes complete metamorphosis.

Grubs, maggots and caterpillars are insect larvae.

PupaPupa3. Pupa: an insect in the nonfeeding,

usually immobile, transformation stage between the larva and the adult.

AdultAdult

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

Incomplete MetamorphosisIncomplete Metamorphosis

Egg Egg Wingless NymphWingless Nymph AdultAdultWingless NymphWingless Nymph

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 MetamorphosisNo Metamorphosis

Egg Nymph 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.

AphidsAphids

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

Metamorphosis based on Orders:Metamorphosis based on Orders:

No Metamorphosis-No Metamorphosis- ThysanuraThysanura

Incomplete Metamorphosis-Incomplete Metamorphosis- OrthopteraOrthoptera HemipteraHemiptera HomopteraHomoptera DermapteraDermaptera ThysanopteraThysanoptera IsopteraIsoptera Phthirptera Phthirptera OdonataOdonata

Complete Metamorphosis-Complete Metamorphosis- SiphonopteraSiphonoptera NeuropteraNeuroptera HymenopteraHymenoptera DipteraDiptera LepidopteraLepidoptera ColeopteraColeoptera