In Unit II you learned that insects develop from egg to adult in stages . They grow and change from stage to stage by molting until the adult stage is reached. The development of an insect from egg to adult is called its life cycle. The way it changes form as it goes through its life cycle is called its metamorphosis .
Different insects have different types of metamorphosis.
Others may be harder to observe for various reasons. Some of these problems can be overcome by rearing the insects in cages. When rearing insects in cages, it is important to know what food each kind will eat. You will also need to know what other habitat conditions they need such as moist, dry, shady, sunny, places to hide, soil to burrow in, etc. Try to duplicate the insect's natural living conditions as much as possible.