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Insects and amphibians are some of the most amazing and interesting creatures in the world because of their unusual life cycles! They go through a process called metamorphosis, which is the process of an animal changing from their larval form to their adult form in many different phases. During these life phases, animals can look and behave very differently! Some insects go through a complete metamorphosis, while some go through an incomplete metamorphosis. Let’s take a look at some examples!
Butterflies are an example of an animal that goes through complete metamorphosis, meaning they have four distinct life stages. Butterflies lay their eggs on the underside of a leaf on their host plant. Different species of butterflies use different species of host plants which their larvae will feed on when they hatch from their eggs. Butterflies in their larval phase are called caterpillars. During this phase, caterpillars feed on leaves and stems from their host plant and grow rapidly! Caterpillars will then wrap themselves in a chrysalis and enter their pupa phase. During the pupa phase, butterflies are inactive as they transition from a caterpillar to an adult butterfly with wings. Once they emerge from their chrysalis, butterflies set off to feed on nectar and find a mate to create the next generation of butterflies.
Unlike complete metamorphosis, incomplete metamorphosis only has three life stages that change more gradually. Grasshoppers are an example of an insect that undergoes incomplete metamorphosis. Grasshoppers lay their eggs buried in soil where they are protected from predators and weather. Once the eggs hatch, grasshopper larvae, called nymphs, emerge from the soil that look like tiny, wingless versions of the adults. Like adult grasshoppers, nymphs feed on grasses and other vegetation. Grasshoppers and other insects that undergo incomplete metamorphosis do not experience an inactive phase, unlike a butterfly who is inactive in their pupa phase. As nymphs eat and grow, they molt their exoskeleton several times and slowly develop wings. Grasshoppers are officially in their adult phase once they have functioning wings and are able to reproduce!
Insect metamorphosis, especially complete metamorphosis, allows insects to reduce competition between each other. Since a caterpillar and a butterfly eat different foods and occupy different habitats, there is less competition between them! Metamorphosis is truly an incredible adaptation.