After the larvae have attached themselves to the leaf, they go through a period of rapid growth for 7-11 days before the first molt. All appendages are lost after the first molt. Up to the first molt there is no physical difference between the sexes, both are pale yellow. In the middle of the second larval stage, males become reddish brown and elliptical in shape and the females remain pale yellow and circular. From this point, the development of the sexes differs.
Males are full grown at the end of the second larval stage and become pupae after their second molt.
The male pupal period lasts for 4-6 days. Females continue to grow after their second molt for 8-9 days and do not change in body shape. Adult, winged males emerge from the pupae by pushing out from beneath the larval skins. They do not emerge from the protective scale for 2 days. Once out from beneath the scale the males crawl actively about and occasionally fly in search of a female to mate with.