Introduction Insects do not grow like people do.
People keep growing bigger until they are adults, but insects actually change forms as they mature.
This is called metamorphosis. Some insects, such as grasshoppers, mayflies, roaches, and cicadas, change gradually. They start out as eggs, then become nymphs that molt several times, and finally change into adults. Entomologists call this incomplete metamorhosis. This is called complete metamorphosis.