Larva
/ˈlɑːrvə/
nounB2
Definition
A larva is the first stage of an animal's life after it hatches from an egg, especially in insects like butterflies, beetles, or flies. At this stage, the animal looks very different from its adult form and usually lives and eats in a different way. The larva will later change through a process to become an adult.
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Early life stage of insects and some animals
- •The butterfly starts as a larva called a caterpillar.
- •Many fish also have larva stages before they look like adults.
- •The larva eats a lot to grow bigger before changing.
In biology, the immature form of an animal that looks different from the adult
- •Scientists study larva to understand how animals develop.
- •The larva stage can last days, weeks, or even months depending on the species.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "larva" like "baby" (A1 word), but for insects and some animals—it’s their first life stage after hatching.
- ✓Picture a small, soft caterpillar crawling on a leaf before it becomes a butterfly.
- ✓It’s like the feeling of seeing a baby animal that doesn’t look like the adult yet, and you know it will grow and change a lot.
- ✓Sounds like "LAR-vuh" → imagine a little "larva" wearing a tiny "lava" coat that will melt away when it changes.
- ✓In stories, think of a caterpillar eating leaves before it becomes a beautiful butterfly.
- ✓NOT like "adult" (fully grown), larva is the early, immature stage.
- ✓NOT like "egg" (before hatching), larva is after the egg has hatched.
- ✓NOT like "pupa" (next stage after larva), larva is the active, feeding stage before resting and changing.
Try Other Words
- •Juvenile: young animal (Use when the young animal looks like a smaller version of the adult)
- •Pupa: resting stage before adult (Use when the animal stops moving and changes inside a shell or cocoon)
- •Nymph: young insect stage without complete change (Use for insects that look like adults but smaller and without wings)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "larv-" (from Latin "larva" meaning "ghost" or "mask") + no suffix
- •Etymology: From Latin, originally meaning "ghost" or "mask" because the larva looks very different from the adult form
- •Historical development: Used in biology since the 18th century to describe early animal stages
- •Modern usage: Commonly used in biology and nature to describe the young stage of insects and some animals before they change into adults
- •Key insight: The word connects to the idea of a hidden or different form, as larva "hides" the adult inside
Reflect & Connect
•How does knowing about the larva stage help us understand how animals grow and change?
•Can you think of animals or insects in your country that have a larva stage? How do they live during that time?
Fill in the blanks
1.The larva stage comes ___ after the egg hatches and before the animal becomes an adult.
2.Larva looks very different from the adult because it has to ___ a lot before changing.
3.Unlike an adult, a larva usually ___ all day to grow bigger.
4.The larva turns into a pupa, which is the ___ stage before becoming an adult insect.
5.You can often find larva ___ on leaves or in water where they eat food.
6.Scientists study larva to learn about the ___ of animals.
7.A larva is not a baby like a puppy, but a young insect that ___ before it becomes an adult.