What type of life cycle do beetles have?

Beetles undergo a complete life cycle, which includes four distinct developmental stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. This process, known as holometabolism or complete metamorphosis, allows for significant morphological and functional changes at each stage. For instance, a beetle starts as an egg, hatches into a larva that often looks completely different from the adult form, then transitions into a pupa where it undergoes transformation, and finally emerges as an adult beetle. This complete life cycle is crucial as it allows beetles to occupy different ecological niches throughout their development, such as the larval stage often being specialized for feeding and growth, while the adult stage is focused more on reproduction.

The other types of life cycles mentioned do not apply to beetles. An incomplete life cycle, for example, involves fewer stages and does not include a pupal stage, which is a characteristic feature of beetles. Simple and complex life cycles are not standard terms in entomology regarding beetles, making the identification of their life cycle as complete the most accurate choice.