What basic life stages do insects go through during simple metamorphosis?

Insects that undergo simple metamorphosis, also known as incomplete metamorphosis, have a life cycle that consists of three basic stages: egg, nymph, and adult. The process begins with the egg stage, where the initial development takes place. Once hatched, the insect enters the nymph stage, which resembles a smaller version of the adult but typically lacks fully developed wings and reproductive structures. As it matures through several molts, it eventually becomes an adult.

This type of metamorphosis is characteristic of insects such as grasshoppers, cockroaches, and mayflies, which do not undergo a pupal stage as seen in complete metamorphosis. In contrast, other life cycle stages listed in the options, such as pupa or larva, pertain to insects that experience complete metamorphosis, which includes the complete development through four stages—egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Here, the nymph stage is more akin to the larval stage of insects undergoing complete metamorphosis, but in simple metamorphosis, nymphs continue to grow into adults without transitioning through a distinctly different pupal stage.