In which stage does a larva wrap itself in a cocoon to emerge as an adult?

The pupa stage is where a larva undergoes significant transformation, encasing itself in a protective structure often referred to as a cocoon. This stage is a critical part of the metamorphosis process, particularly in holometabolous insects, where the larva drastically changes to emerge as a fully formed adult. During this time, the organism undergoes various physiological changes that prepare it for life outside the cocoon. Once the transformation is complete, the adult insect breaks free from the cocoon, ready to live its new life phase.

In contrast, the larva stage is primarily focused on growth and feeding, while the nymph stage typically refers to immature stages of insects that undergo incomplete metamorphosis, lacking a distinct pupa phase. The egg stage signifies the initial stage of an insect's life cycle before it hatches into a larva, which is separated from the metamorphic changes that occur later. Thus, the pupa stage is distinctively characterized by this cocoon-wrapping behavior as a preparation for the transition to adulthood.