Life Cycles
All living things go through a life cycle — they are born, grow, reproduce, and die. Different animals have different life cycles including complete and incomplete metamorphosis.
What You Need to Know
Key Concept Diagram
Complete metamorphosis: egg → larva → pupa → adult (e.g. butterfly, beetle)
Incomplete metamorphosis: egg → nymph → adult (e.g. grasshopper, dragonfly)
The nymph looks like a small version of the adult in incomplete metamorphosis
Mammals and birds also have life cycles but do not undergo metamorphosis
Key Vocabulary
Life cycle
The series of stages a living thing goes through from birth to death
Metamorphosis
A dramatic change in body form as an animal grows
Larva
A young insect that looks completely different from the adult (e.g. caterpillar)
Pupa
The resting stage of complete metamorphosis, where major changes occur (e.g. chrysalis)
Knowledge Check
Select the correct answer for each question. Click "Check Answer" to see if you are right.
Question 1
What is the correct sequence for complete metamorphosis?
Question 2
Which animal undergoes INCOMPLETE metamorphosis?
Question 3
In which stage of complete metamorphosis does the major transformation occur?
Key Concepts Summary
- ●Complete metamorphosis: egg → larva → pupa → adult (e.g. butterfly, beetle)
- ●Incomplete metamorphosis: egg → nymph → adult (e.g. grasshopper, dragonfly)
- ●The nymph looks like a small version of the adult in incomplete metamorphosis
- ●Mammals and birds also have life cycles but do not undergo metamorphosis