2026 Virginia Turf Applicator 3B Complete Practice Test

In insects with complete metamorphosis, there are four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The larva is the active, feeding stage, typically worm-like in appearance (think caterpillars, maggots, or grubs). It spends most of its energy on eating to build up energy reserves for the next stage.

The pupa is an inactive stage during which the insect reorganizes into its adult form. The egg is simply the starting stage and is not feeding. The nymph is the immature stage inIncomplete metamorphosis, where the youngster resembles the adult and there isn’t a pupal phase.

So, the term that describes the active, feeding stage is larva.