All insects don't produce small forms like this. Beetles, butterflies and moths, flies, ants, wasps, bees and other important groups undergo complete metamorphosis, so their life cycle is:
egg --> larva --> pupa --> adult.
In other words, a finished adult insect emerges from its pupal stage pretty much the size it'll always be.
However, insects groups such as dragonflies, cicadas, termites, "true bugs" and grasshoppers undergo incomplete metamorphosis, with this life cycle:
egg --> nymph --> adult
And that nymphal stage starts out small, molts through successive "skins," and with each molt becomes larger until reaching full adult size.
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Dec 14, 2020. NATURE STORIES by Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow).
An immature (nymph) grasshopper eats the ladyfinger's leaf. No wings developed yet.
Beetles, butterflies and moths, flies, ants, wasps, bees undergo complete metamorphosis, so their life cycle is: egg --> larva --> pupa --> adult.
A finished adult insect emerges from its pupal stage pretty much the size it'll always be. However, insects groups such as dragonflies, cicadas, termites, "true bugs" and grasshoppers undergo incomplete metamorphosis, with this life cycle:
egg --> nymph --> adult.
The nymphal stage (instar) starts out small, molts through successive "skins," and with each molt becomes larger until reaching full adult size.
A nymph (immature) grasshopper is eating a ladyfinger’s leaf. It has NOT developed wings. It is probably a lst instar nymph. Grasshoppers have 5 to 6 instars. From egg to adult ---it takes about 40-60 days.
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