Metamorphosis
From the Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can change
Metamorphosis in biology means the process of transformation of an insect or amphibian from an immature form to an adult form in two or more distinct stages. Life for an insect begins as a larva or nymph then progresses to the pupa stage and ends as an adult. There are two main types of metamorphosis in insects, hemimetabolism and holometabolism.
 Pieris rapae pupa |
 Pieris rapae pupa, ready to hatch. |
 A Pieris rapae adult |
[change] Insect metamorphosis
| Species | Egg | Larva/Nymph | Pupa | Adult |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housefly | 1 day | 2 weeks | 1 week | 2 weeks |
| Ladybird | 4 days | 2 weeks | 2 weeks | 3-9 months |
| Monarch Butterfly | 4 days | 2 weeks | 10 days | 2-6 weeks |
| Periodical Cicada | 1 month | 13/17 years | no such stage | 2 months |
| Mayfly | 1 month | 3 years | 1 day | |
| Cockroach | 1 month | 3 months | 9 months |
The Monarch Butterfly goes through four stages of development. Life for a Monarch butterfly begins as an egg hatched from an adult. This egg then develops into a worm-like larva caterpillar. In the pupa or chrysalis stage, the caterpillar spins a silk pad on a twig or leaves and hangs from this pad by its last pair of prolegs. It hangs upside down in the shape of a "J" and then molts leaving it encased in a green exoskeleton. The mature butterfly emerges after about two weeks and feeds on a variety of flowers including milkweed flowers, red clover and goldenrod.
[change] References
- Davies, R.G., Outlines of Entomology, Chapman and Hall: chapter 3
