Insects such as grasshoppers and locusts emerge from eggs as miniature adults. Other insects go through a complicated development during which they completely change their shape and structure. Houseflies, bees, wasps, butterflies and moths go through various stages of development. First they produce a larva, such as a grub or caterpillar, which lives an independent existence for some time. Next the larva goes through a process which is called metamorphosis. This is when the animal rests in a protective cover called a pupa. Inside the pupa, the insect’s internal structure is gradually rearranged into the adult form. Finally, the pupa splits open and the adult insect breaks out – it looks totally different to its larval stage. At first its body is very soft and vulnerable to predators, but the hard exterior skeleton soon forms. The adult is now ready to breed.
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