Holometabolism, also called complete metamorphism, is a term applied to insect groups to describe the specific kind of insect development which includes four life stages - as an embryo, a larva, a pupa and an imago. For example, in the life cycle of a butterfly, the embryo grows within the egg, hatching into the larval stage caterpillar, before entering the pupal stage within its chrysalis and finally emerging as an adult butterfly imago. A Pieris rapae larva An older Pieris rapae larva A Pieris rapae pupa A Pieris rapae adult Metamorphosis is a process in biology by which an individual physically develops after birth or hatching, and involves significant change in form as well as growth and differentiation. ... Embryos (and one tadpole) of the wrinkled frog (Rana rugosa). ... A larva (Latin; plural larvae) is a juvenile form of animal with indirect development, undergoing metamorphosis (for example, insects or amphibians). ... Chrysalis of Gulf Fritillary in Georgetown, South Carolina Pupation of Inachis io A pupa (plural: pupae or pupas) is the life stage of some insects undergoing transformation. ... The imago is the last stage of development of an insect, after the last ecdysis of an incomplete metamorphosis, or after emergence from pupation where the metamorphosis is complete. ... The striking caterpillar of the Emperor Gum Moth This article is about insect larva. ... Butterfly Chrysalis Monarch Butterfly Chrysalis For the record label created in 1969, see Chrysalis Records. ...

The insect orders which are holometabolic are:

• Coleoptera - Beetles
• Diptera - Flies
• Hymenoptera - Ants, bees, sawflies and wasps
• Lepidoptera - Butterflies and moths
• Mecoptera - Scorpionflies
• Neuroptera - Lacewings, dobsonflies, etc.
• Siphonaptera - Fleas
• Strepsiptera - Twisted-winged parasites
• Trichoptera - Caddisflies

For other uses, see Beetle (disambiguation). ... Suborders Nematocera(Eudiptera) Brachycera Green Bottle Fly Flesh Fly Fannia a Lesser House Fly (unidentified species) Dolichopodidae (unidentified species) Diptera (di - two, ptera – wings), or true flies, is the order of insects in which the hind wings are reduced to halteres. ... Suborders Apocrita Symphyta Many families, see article Hymenoptera is one of the larger orders of Insects, comprising the sawflies, wasps, bees, and ants. ... Super Families Butterflies Hesperioidea Papilionoidea Moths Micropterigoidea Heterobathmioidea Eriocranioidea Acanthopteroctetoidea Lophocoronoidea Neopseustoidea Mnesarchaeoidea Hepialoidea Nepticuloidea Incurvarioidea Palaephatoidea Tischeriodea Simaethistoidea Tineoidea Gracillarioidea Yponomeutoidea Gelechioidea Zygaenoidea Sesioidea Cossoidea Tortricoidea Choreutoida Urodoidea Galacticoidea Schreckensteinioidea Epermenioidea Pterophoroidea Aluctoidea Immoidea Axioidea Hyblaeoidea Thyridoidea Whalleyanoidea Pyraloidea Mimallonoidea Lasiocampoidea Geometroidea Drepanoidea Bombycoidea Calliduloidae Hedyloidea Noctuoidea Families About... Families Nannochoristidae Boreidae (snow fleas) Siphonaptera (fleas) Meropeidae (earwig flies) Eomeropidae Apteropanorpidae Choristidae Panorpodidae Bittacidae (hanging flies) Panorpidae (scorpion flies) Mecoptera are an order of insects with about 600 species worldwide. ... Suborders Megaloptera Raphidioptera Planipennia The insect order Neuroptera, or net-winged insects, includes the fishflies, snakeflies, lacewings and antlions. ... For the musician, a member of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, see Michael Balzary. ... Families Mengenillidae Mengeidae Stylopidae Bohartillidae Corioxenidae Halictophagidae Callipharixenidae Elenchidae Myrmecolacidae Species in the nine families of this small (~600 species) order of insects are parasites in other insects; their hosts include bees, wasps, leafhoppers, silverfish, and cockroaches. ... Suborders Annulipalpia Spicipalpia Integripalpia some of this info is updated check external links for updates. ...

See also

• Hemimetabolism
• Ametabolism
• Metamorphosis

Hemimetabolism, also called incomplete metamorphism, is a term used to describe insects with a specific type of life cycle, including three distinct stages: the embryo, nymph, and the adult stage, or the imago. ... Metabolism whereby there is slight or no metamorphosis ... A Pieris rapae larva An older Pieris rapae larva A Pieris rapae pupa A Pieris rapae adult Metamorphosis is a process in biology by which an individual physically develops after birth or hatching, and involves significant change in form as well as growth and differentiation. ...

External links

• Metamorphosis - A remarkable change