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Larvae Definition

Larvae are part of the insect life cycle. Larvae grow into their adult form through metamorphosis.

View Lesson on Animal & Plant Life Cycles
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Animal & Plant Life Cycles

LESSON MATERIALSmove

Fun Facts

  • Butterfly eggs hatch into caterpillars before becoming butterflies.
  • Caterpillars are the larvae stage of the butterfly life cycle.
  • Caterpillars change into butterflies inside a chrysalis.

Why Do We Need To Know About Larvae

Learning about larvae helps you understand how some animals change from eggs into adults.  All living things have life cycles that include birth, growth, reproduction, and death.  Only some, like frogs and butterflies, go through metamorphosis as part of their life cycles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are life cycle diagrams in the shape of a circle?
A life cycle is sometimes called the circle of life because animals and plants are born, grow into adults, reproduce and then die but their children then continue their own life cycle. The pattern repeats over and over again, sometimes for millions of years. Showing the pattern as a circle helps us see how it repeats.
What is metamorphosis?
Metamorphosis is when a living thing changes form dramatically over the course of its life such as a caterpillar becoming a butterfly.
How does a butterfly change dramatically throughout its life cycle?
Butterflies start their life cycle when they hatch from eggs as caterpillars. To become a butterfly, the caterpillar forms a chrysalis and undergoes metamorphosis where it changes dramatically into a butterfly.
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