Juergen Freund / Timelapse of a Cairns birdwing (Ornithoptera euphorion) butterfly caterpillar metamorphosing into a chrysalis, Queensland, Australia, April.

James Dunbar / Timelapse of a Tiger longwing (Heliconius hecale) forming a chrysalis. Controlled conditions. Native to South and Central America.

Theo Bosboom / Common blue damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum) close up of recently emerged damselfly, including the green liquids that are used to pump up the wings. Hondenven, Tubbergen, the Netherlands. July.

Theo Bosboom / Common blue damselfly (Enallagma cyathigerum) close up of the wings of a just emerged damselfly, including the green liquids that are used to pump up the wings. Hondenven, Tubbergen, the Netherlands....

Ingo Arndt / Mayfly (Palingenia longicauda) hanging on leaf and moulting, Tisza river, Hungary, sequence 5/7, June

Ingo Arndt / Mayfly (Palingenia longicauda) hanging on leaf and moulting, Tisza river, Hungary, sequence 6/7, June

Ingo Arndt / Mayfly (Palingenia longicauda) hanging on leaf and moulting, Tisza river, Hungary, sequence 3/7, June

Ingo Arndt / Mayfly (Palingenia longicauda) on water surface, swarming, Tisza river, Hungary, June

Ingo Arndt / Four spotted libellula dragonfly / (Libellula quadrimaculata) adult freshly emerged from larval case, Germany.

Ingo Arndt / Tiger beetle pupates in underground burrow {Cicindela hybrida} Germany

Pete Oxford / Rusty-tipped Page (Siproeta epaphus) chrysalis, Mashpi Rainforest Biodiversity Reserve, Pichincha, Ecuador, sequence 1 of 3

MYN / Paul van Hoof / Common spadefoot toad (Pelobates fuscus) composite showing metamorphosis from larva to adult, The Netherlands, meetyourneighbours.net project

John Cancalosi / Adult Common morpho butterfly (Morpho peleides) emerging from chrysalis, Costa Rica. Sequence 1/4.

Paul Harcourt Davies / Newly emerged adult Two-tailed Pasha (Charaxes jasius) Podere Montecucco. Orvieto, Umbria, Italy August

Paul Harcourt Davies / Newly emerged adult Two-tailed Pasha butterfly (Charaxes jasius) Podere Montecucco. Orvieto, Umbria, Italy August

Paul Harcourt Davies,Paul Harcourt Davies / Emergence of Two-tailed Pasha butterfly (Charaxes jasius) Podere Montecucco. Orvieto, Umbria, Italy August. Sequence 6 of 9

Paul Harcourt Davies / Emergence of Two-tailed Pasha butterfly (Charaxes jasius) Podere Montecucco. Orvieto, Umbria, Italy August. Sequence 1 of 9

Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION / Large red damselfly {Pyrrhosoma nymphula} emerging from nymphal case, Cornwall, UK. April

Alex Hyde / Apollo silkmoth (Ceranchia apollina) close up of cocoon showing silk fibres, originating from Madagascar. Captive.

Alex Hyde / African moon moth (Argema mimosae) digital composite sequence, showing wings expanding after emerging from cocoon, photographed against a white background, orginating from Africa. Captive.

Jan Hamrsky / Mosquito (Culex pipiens) adult emerging through water surface from larva. Europe, August.

B&S Draker / Cicada (Tibicen resh) adult emerging from nymph carapace. Sinton, Corpus Christi, Coastal Bend, Texas, USA, June. Sequence 10 of 10.

Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION / Large red damselfly {Pyrrhosoma nymphula} emerging from nymphal case, Cornwall, UK. April Sequence 5/7

Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION / Large red damselfly {Pyrrhosoma nymphula} emerging from nymphal case, Cornwall, UK. April Sequence 7/7

Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION / Large red damselfly {Pyrrhosoma nymphula} emerging from nymphal case, Cornwall, UK. April Sequence 6/7

Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION / Large red damselfly {Pyrrhosoma nymphula} nymph about to hatch, Cornwall, UK. April, Sequence 1/7

Ross Hoddinott / 2020VISION / Emperor dragonfly {Anax imperator} chrysalis shell by water's edge, Denmark Farm, Wales, UK. June

Rolf Nussbaumer / Superb Green Cicada (Tibicen superba) adult emerging from nymph skin, New Braunfels, San Antonio, Hill Country, Central Texas, USA (Sequence 19/25)

Rolf Nussbaumer / Superb Green Cicada (Tibicen superba) adult emerging from nymph skin, New Braunfels, San Antonio, Hill Country, Central Texas, USA (Sequence 16/25)

Rolf Nussbaumer / Superb Green Cicada (Tibicen superba) adult emerging from nymph skin, New Braunfels, San Antonio, Hill Country, Central Texas, USA (Sequence 7/25)

Rolf Nussbaumer / Superb Green Cicada (Tibicen superba) adult emerging from nymph skin, New Braunfels, San Antonio, Hill Country, Central Texas, USA (Sequence 1/25)

Stephen Dalton / Broad bodied chaser dragonfly (Libellula depressa) recently emerged from larval case, UK

Solvin Zankl / Male Long-tailed / Tisza mayfly (Palingania longicauda) undergoing moult, River Tisza, Hungary, Central Europe. June The old skin opens at the back of the animal and will be left behind on the leaf l...

Georgette Douwma / Wonderpus (Wunderpus photogenicus) octopus on sea bed, Lembeh Strait, North Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Wild Wonders of Europe / Benvie / Stag beetle (Lucanus cervus) instar, Suffolk, England, June 2009

Ross Hoddinott / Large red damselfly (Pyrrhosoma nymphula) emerging from nymphal case. Broxwater, Cornwall, UK. Sequence 2/3

Silvia Reiche / Black-veined White (Aporia crataegi) metamorphosis sequence, Hoogeloon, Netherlands. Sequence 12 of 15

Fabio Liverani / Cicada recently emerged from larval case, inflating its wings, sequence 4/5, Tambopata National Reserve, Amazonia, Peru

Ross Hoddinott / Large red damselfly {Pyrrhosoma nymphula} emerging from nymphal case. Cornwall, UK.

Ross Hoddinott / Large red damselfly {Pyrrhosoma nymphula} emerging from nymphal case, Cornwall. UK

Ross Hoddinott / Large red damselfly {Pyrrhosoma nymphula} emerging from nymphal case, Cornwall. UK

Martin Dohrn / Mosquito {Culex pipiens} emerging from pupa at water surface, UK

Martin Dohrn / Mosquito {Culex pipiens} emerging from pupa at water surface, UK

Willem Kolvoort / Silhouette of immature European edible frog (Rana esculenta) on top of waterlily leaf, tail stump still visible, garden pond, Holland

Kim Taylor / Desert Locust {Schistocerca gregaria} adult emerging from nymphal skin, captive, Sequence 4/6

Kim Taylor / Desert Locust {Schistocerca gregaria} adult emerging from nymphal skin, captive, Sequence 3/6

Kim Taylor / Desert Locust {Schistocerca gregaria} adult emerging from nymphal skin, captive, Sequence 2/6

Kim Taylor / Desert Locust {Schistocerca gregaria} adult emerging from nymphal skin, captive, Sequence 5/6

Warwick Sloss / Tadpoles of Common frog hatching from frogspawn {Rana temporaria} sequence 5/6

Jane Burton / Common Frog (Rana temporaria) tadpoles developing in spawn

Nick Garbutt / Madagascar moon / comet moth {Argema mittrei} captive male recently emerged from cocoon.

Ross Hoddinott / Migrant hawker dragonfly JUST emerged from pupa {Aeshna mixta} Cornwall, UK.

Kim Taylor / Mosquito {Culex pipiens} female emerging from aquatic pupa, UK.

Kim Taylor / Mosquito {Culex pipiens} female emerging from pupa Digital composite, UK. Captive.

Ross Hoddinott / Large red damselfly beside nymphal case {Pyrrhosoma nymphula} Cornwall, UK

Hans Christoph Kappel / Poplar Admiral butterfly adult just emerged from chrysalis.

Hans Christoph Kappel / Poplar Admiral caterpillar pupating. Life cycle sequence 2

Rolf Nussbaumer / Gulf fritillary butterfly, male emerged from chrysalis {Agraulis vanillae} Texas, USA.

Martin Dohrn / Newly emerged mosquito waits for exoskeleton to harden {Culex pipiens} C UK UK

Martin Dohrn / Mosquito adult emerging from pupa at water surface {Culex pipiens} UK

Hans Christoph Kappel / Poplar Admiral newly emerged from chrysalis. Life cycle sequence 5

Hans Christoph Kappel / Poplar Admiral emerging from chrysalis. Life cycle sequence 3

Hans Christoph Kappel / Poplar Admiral butterfly just emerged from chrysalis, Germany. Life cycle sequence 5

Pete Oxford / Morph caterpillar pupating, Ecuadorian Amazon.

Rolf Nussbaumer / Black sympetrum dragonfly emerging from larval case {Sympetrum danae} Switzerland

Rolf Nussbaumer / Small tortoiseshell butterfly emerging from pupa {Aglais urticae} Switzerland.

Pete Oxford / Morpho butterfly newly emerged from pupa, Ecuador Amazonian rainforest

Rolf Nussbaumer / Mosquito hatching from larval case {Culicidae} Switzerland

Rolf Nussbaumer / Peacock butterfly emerging from pupa {Inachis io} Switzerland

Rolf Nussbaumer / Monarch butterfly just emerged from chrysalis {Danaus plexippus} Texas, USA.

Martin Dohrn / Mosquito {Culex pipiens} larva about to emerge from pupa at water surface UK

Pete Oxford / Tiger butterfly pupa {Tithorea harmonia} Amazonia, Ecuador

Michael & Patricia Fogden / Red-eyed Tree Frog (Agalychnis callidryas) tadpoles in rain water pond, Costa Rica

Jim Brandenburg / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterfly emerging from cocoon, Minnesota

Mitsuhiko Imamori / Cicada (Tanna japonensis) emerging, Shiga, Japan

Fabio Liverani / Eggs of Agile frog {Rana dalmatina} Italy

Fabio Liverani / European Edible Frog froglets with tadpole tails. Italy

Adrian Davies / Common frog tadpole (Rana temporaria), semi albino (c. 7 weeks). England, UK, Europe

Fabio Liverani / Common tree frog froglet with remains of tail, Italy. Life cycle sequence 5

Fabio Liverani / Common tree frog tadpole with hind legs and front legs developing, Italy. Life cycle sequence 4

Duncan Mcewan / Common frog froglet {Rana temporaria} with tail, Scotland UK

Morley Read / Adult cicada (Cicadoidea), just emerged from its larval skin and waiting for the wings to expand and dry, Pastaza Province, Ecuador. (non-ex)

Morley Read / Adult cicada (Cicadoidea), just emerged from its larval skin and waiting for the wings to expand and dry, Pastaza Province, Ecuador. (non-ex)

Shane Gross / Superb green cicada (Neotibicen superbus) adult emerging from exuvia. Harbour Island, Bahamas.

Shane Gross / Superb green cicada (Neotibicen superbus) adult emerging from exuvia. Harbour Island, Bahamas.

Bernard Castelein / Southern hawker dragonfly (Aeshna cyanea) nymph shedding exoskeleton, Brasschaat, Belgium. July

Bernard Castelein / Southern hawker dragonfly (Aeshna cyanea) nymph shedding exoskeleton, Brasschaat, Belgium. July

Bernard Castelein / Southern hawker dragonfly (Aeshna cyanea) nymph shedding exoskeleton, Brasschaat, Belgium. July

Bernard Castelein / Southern hawker dragonfly (Aeshna cyanea) nymph shedding exoskeleton, Brasschaat, Belgium. April

Chris Mattison / Black-headed cardinal beetle (Pyrochroa coccinea) larva and adult, on white background. Monmouthshire, Wales, UK. Digital composite.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Owl butterflies (Caligo sp) fully emerged adults and pupae.

Eladio Fernandez / One-spotted prepona butterfly (Archeoprepona demophon). captive, occurs in Central and South America. Sequence 7 of 7

Eladio Fernandez / Process of metamorphosis of the One-spotted prepona butterfly (Archeoprepona demophon). Chrysalis the day before hatching a butterfly. captive, occurs in Central and South America. Sequence 6 of 7

Eladio Fernandez / Process of metamorphosis of the One-spotted prepona butterfly (Archeoprepona demophon). captive, occurs in Central and South America. Sequence 5 of 7

Eladio Fernandez / Process of metamorphosis of the One-spotted prepona butterfly (Archeoprepona demophon). captive, occurs in Central and South America. Sequence 4 of 7

Eladio Fernandez / Process of metamorphosis of the One-spotted prepona butterfly (Archeoprepona demophon). captive, occurs in Central and South America. Sequence 3 of 7