Which type of insect development involves three stages including egg, larva, and adult?

The correct answer is complete metamorphosis. This process is characterized by three distinct stages: egg, larva (which may include multiple instars), and adult. Insects that undergo complete metamorphosis, such as butterflies, beetles, and flies, experience significant transformation during these life stages.

During the larval stage, the insect often looks entirely different from its adult form and focuses primarily on feeding and growing. After several larval instars, the insect enters a pupal stage (not included in your provided answer choices), during which it undergoes a remarkable transformation before emerging as an adult. This process allows for specialization: the larva can concentrate on growth while the adult focuses on reproduction.

The other options do not accurately describe this three-stage development. Incomplete metamorphosis, for instance, typically involves just three stages: egg, nymph, and adult, where the nymph resembles a smaller version of the adult and grows through a series of molts. Gradual metamorphosis is often used interchangeably with incomplete metamorphosis, as both describe a process that does not involve a pupal stage. Direct development refers to a lifecycle where there is no larval stage; the young look like smaller versions of the adult right