What term describes the transformation process from larva to adult insect?

The transformation process from larva to adult insect is best described by the term "metamorphosis." This term refers to the significant and often drastic changes that occur in an insect's life cycle as it transitions from one developmental stage to another, particularly from a larval stage to the adult form. Metamorphosis encompasses distinct phases, commonly categorized into complete metamorphosis (holometabolism), which includes egg, larva, pupa, and adult stages, and incomplete metamorphosis (hemimetabolism), which involves egg, nymph, and adult stages.

In the case of complete metamorphosis, after the larval stage, the insect enters the pupal stage where it undergoes transformation before emerging as a fully developed adult. This process is crucial for the development of various structures such as wings and reproductive organs that were not present in the larval stage. The term "pupation" refers specifically to the stage of development during which the larva becomes a pupa, while "maturation" and "larval development" do not accurately encompass the entire transformation process into adulthood. Thus, "metamorphosis" is the most accurate term to describe this comprehensive transformation in insects.