What are larvae?

Bugs, Snails, Worms

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by Kate Simmons >> more about the author

Larvae are young animals. Creatures are in the larval stage of development after they are born but before they become adults! Larvae often look nothing like their adult versions. For example, a caterpillar is very different in appearance from the butterfly it will become! Many larvae have a worm-like appearance.

Other examples of larvae include wigglers (which will become adult mosquitos) and tadpoles (which will become adult frogs). And speaking of those tadpoles, they live in water, while frogs live on land. As you may have guessed, some larvae live in different environments from the adults of their species! This is helpful to the creatures, as the babies and adults are not all competing for the same food and space.

To become adults, larvae go through a change called metamorphosis. Think back to the caterpillar, which forms a chrysalis and emerges as a butterfly. For other critters, the metamorphosis is not as dramatic. In fact, not all creatures go through a larval stage. For example, although we humans go through many changes in our lives, we are not born as larvae!

Can you think of other examples of larvae? Begin with the bugs you know… Here’s one to get you started: Dragonfly larvae are called nymphs! And did you know that the larvae of beetles, bees and wasps are also called grubs? Use an encyclopedia or the internet to help you look up the larvae names of your critters of choice!