Life Cycle
Insects
begin life as tiny, hard-shelled,
fertilized eggs. After they hatch, insects begin a process of
metamorphosis that eventually produces an adult insect. Each insect
species undergoes either complete metamorphosis or gradual
metamorphosis.
Complete
Metamorphosis has four different
stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Eggs hatch into larva. The larvae,
such as the caterpillars of butterflies and the grubs of beetles,
usually look something like worms. Larvae are specialized for eating
and growing. After a time, a larva enters the next stage of the process
and becomes a pupa. As a pupa, the insect is enclosed in a protective
covering.
Although
the pupa does not eat and moves very little, it is not resting. Major
changes in body structure are taking place in this stage, as the pupa
becomes an adult insect. Beetles, butterflies, and ants all undergo
complete metamorphosis.
From:
http://insectzoo.msstate.edu/OrkinZoo/thriving.html
In
contrast, the second type of metamorphosis, called gradual
metamorphosis, has no distinct larval stage. An egg
hatches into a
stage called a nymph, which usually looks like the adult insect without
wings. A nymph may molt several times becoming an adult. Grasshoppers,
cockroaches, and dragonflies go through gradual metamorphosis.
From:
http://www.saburchill.com/ans02/chapters/chap048.html
Sequential
Adverbs
We
use sequential adverbs when we talk about something that happens in a
certain order such as the life cycle of insects. We usually use the
words first, second, third, next,
after that, then, finally, etc.
For
example: If you were going to use sequential adverbs to talk about the
life cycle of the plant you would write:
First, a
seed is planted into soil.
Second,
after the seed gets some water and sunlight, a small root grows fown
into the soil.
Next, the
stem grows up toward the top of the soil and the stem breaks through
the soil.
Then,
the seed grows leaves.
Finally,
the leaves begin to form on the plant stem and a small plant starts to
form.
Now
It's Your Turn!
Use sequential adverbs and
write out the process of
complete metamorphosis. Use the picture to help you.
