What type of insect undergoes a complete metamorphosis during its lifecycle?

The correct answer is butterflies, as they undergo complete metamorphosis, which involves four distinct life stages: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and adult. During this process, the organism changes significantly in form and structure. For instance, the caterpillar is a completely different-looking larval stage that feeds and grows before entering the pupal stage, where it undergoes transformation into the winged adult butterfly. This complete metamorphosis allows for different life stages to utilize different habitats and food sources, which can be an advantageous adaptation for survival.

While roaches, grasshoppers, and beetles also go through life cycles, they do not undergo complete metamorphosis. Instead, roaches and grasshoppers experience incomplete metamorphosis, which consists of three stages: egg, nymph, and adult, where the nymph resembles a smaller version of the adult but lacks mature wings and reproductive structures. Beetles, although they do undergo complete metamorphosis like butterflies, were not the chosen answer here. Therefore, butterflies are the best example of insects that exhibit a complete metamorphosis in their lifecycle.