What are the four life stages of insects undergoing complete metamorphosis?

• A. Egg, larva, pupa, and adult
• B. Egg, nymph, larva, adult
• C. Egg, pupa, chrysalis, butterfly
• D. Egg, larva, chrysalis, imago

Answer: (A)

In complete metamorphosis, the insect’s life cycle unfolds through four distinct forms, each with its own role and lifestyle. It begins as an egg that hatches into a larva, a worm-like stage focused on feeding and rapid growth. After reaching a suitable size, the larva becomes a pupa, a dormant or transformative stage during which the body reorganizes into adult structures. Finally, an adult emerges, specialized for reproduction and dispersal. This egg–larva–pupa–adult sequence is the hallmark of holometabolous insects, which is why it’s the best answer. Other options mix in a nymph (which belongs to incomplete metamorphosis) or use terms like chrysalis or imago that refer to more specific groupings and don’t represent the universal four-stage cycle.