#holometabole

[ravingrovebeetle]

What's your favorite bug fact?? 🎷🐛

omg i actually have no idea when this came in because i learned how to check my asks like five seconds ago but!! i shall answer it anyway!! my favorite bug fact is how metamorphosis works---look up imaginal discs, they are super cool!! essentially they are undifferentiated cells (basically cells that seem to be regular ol' guys, nothing special about them yet) that during metamorphosis, causes the larval cells to undergo apoptosis (see also: self-destruction) and then they turn into the individual cells that you would see in the adult insect

[ronimiez]

explaining the differences between the 3 different types of metamorphosis

there are 3 different growth cycles/metamorphosis that insects go through:

ametabolism

hemimetabolism

holometabolism

i want to try and explain this because it turns out theres a lot of people who dont know that butterflies arent the only insects that go through metamorphosis!

1. ametabolism

this growth cycle is by far the rarest and can only be found in the 2 most primitive insect orders: zygentoma (silverfish and firebrats) and archaeognatha (jumping bristletails).

the reason its called ametabolism is that because it describes the absence of a metamorphosis cycle. instead, they just gradually increase in size with no other morphological differences between juvenile and adult.

fun fact: you can tell how primitive an insect order is based on how many "insecty" aspects it has! for example, you can tell that blattodeans (cockroaches and termites) are primitiver than lepidopterans (butterflies and moths), as blattodeans undergo partial metamorphosis and not full metamorphosis.

2. hemimetabolism

this growth cycle is the second-most prominent growth cycle in insects and can be found in 11 orders.

it describes the partial metamorphosis that these insects go through. this means that they lack the pupal stage that holometabolistic (full metamorphosis) insects have, but they still undergo significant changes while growing up.

for example: grasshoppers, katydids, and crickets are born without wings, but after the final moult they will have fully developed wings that they can use.

3. holometabolism

this growth cycle is by far the most prominent in insects. it can be found in 11 orders just like hemimetabolism, but these 11 holometabolistic orders are the most diverse in the insect kingdom. these orders include coleoptera (beetles), lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), diptera (flies), and hymenoptera (bees, ants, wasps, and sawflies).

it describes the complete metamorphosis that these insects go through. all of them have a larval stage, a pupal stage, and an adult/reproductive stage. the appearance of the adult stage is always very different than that of the larval stage.

take the butterfly, the most popular example of holometabolism used.

i hope you found this explanation useful! if you have any questions, feel free to send them my way :]

[ipsen]

Holometabolism is now complete to read on AO3

[horrendousmustard]

AWWWWWWW KANEKIS SLEEPING BESIDEHER FKDKFJGDJKFJSKFBGKDBFJGBBFJDHFBFJDJJFGHJFGJFF

[ipsen]

”For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Hideyoshi Nagachika. I am single. I am an ambassador for the TSC’s peace efforts here in Tokyo. In my spare time, I volunteer at the 24th ward. For those of you who do know me, please keep your mouths shut about me.

“They say you should never meet your heroes. Ken Kaneki met me when I pissed all over the local school bully’s desk.”

Hide's speech at Kaneki's wedding

[five-rivers]

Ghost puberty but like bug version for the soft body horror idea request

The body horror here is a bit more subtle than with the other ones I've done, but I hope you enjoy it nonetheless. :3

.

You didn't know that Clockwork had a garden, but you are sitting in it now. You decide it suits him. It is divided into quarters, into seasons, the tree at the center flowering, fruiting, and withering all at once.

You are in the spring section right now, among copious flowers. There is enough pollen in the air that even your nose twitches, and you never really had any problem with allergies.

There is a tiny bare pavement square in the middle of the section, ringed with benches. At the center of the square, there is a plinth. On the plinth, there is a beehive, and this is what occupies your attention at the moment.

It is not a typical beehive, like what might be found in the human world. The bees weren't alive. But neither were they exactly ghosts. Instead, they were tiny clockwork automations, exquisite works of bright bronze, blackened steel, and gem-bright glass. They flit eagerly from flower to flower nonetheless, and you wonder what they get out of it, if anything. Not food.

A few of them land on the rim of your bowl, which you have momentarily set aside. Clockwork has been feeding you a lot, lately, mostly a series of sweet, parfait-like concoctions. You aren't complaining. You've been hungry, and your weird not-biology craves equally weird things. Whatever Clockwork has been feeding you, it helps with that.

"Bees are holometabolous," says Clockwork from his position next to you on the bench. "Do you know what that means?"

"Something to do with their metabolism?" you guess. You shake your head. "No, not really."

Clockwork hands the bowl back to you, a silent encouragement to eat. "Holometabolous insects undergo what is called a full metamorphosis. They begin life as an egg, then hatch into larvae, which then turn into pupae, and finally emerge from their pupae as adults. Butterflies and moths are other examples."

You nod, trying to show that you are paying attention, even as your eyes are on the mechanical bees that have landed on your arms. You scoop a large spoonful of maybe-yogurt, probably-granola, and hopefully-honey into your mouth.

"The mature versions of such an insect are often quite different from the larval form," continues Clockwork, "and, at least in the case of bees, their final form is dependent on what they were fed as larvae."

"Like, whether they're queens or workers?"

"Precisely."

You sit quietly for a while.

"Clockwork," you say, "what does this have to do with what makes an Ancient an Ancient?"

He doesn't answer right away, and in the meantime, you are distracted both by your food and by the bees. They really are beautiful, with all the intricate gears and fittings.

"Would you like a closer look?" asks Clockwork.

"Huh?"

"At the hive?"

Your spoon clinks against the bottom of the bowl, and you nod. "Sure," said Danny. "If it won't disturb them."

Clockwork smiles and holds out his hand. You take it. At once, you feel yourself shrinking, just like that time with the Fenton Crammer. You squeak and cling to Clockwork who is also shrinking. By the time it stops, the bees that were crawling around on your hands earlier are twice or three times as big as you.

Clockwork, still holding your hand, knocks on the abdomen of the nearest bee and it opens up.

"Here," says Clockwork, gesturing at the opening.

"Um," you say. "We can fly?"

"At this size?" asks Clockwork, mildly.

You are even smaller than you were when you and Dash were hit by the Fenton Crammer. Your powers failed very quickly that time.

"It is a very long walk," continues Clockwork.

"It's just weird to crawl into a bug," you say, as you crawl into the bug. It takes off, and you marvel at the smooth movement of the gears - and lean into Clockwork, wary of getting hair and fingers caught in them.

The flight to the hive is uneventful, otherwise, and when you arrive and emerge into the hive, the way that the mechanical bees bustle around makes you feel like you're some kind of celebrity or dignitary.

Clockwork leads you around for a while, showing you the honey-gold and bright bronze of the hive. Old bees are repaired by their sisters, and new bees are constructed, bit by bit in specialized cells. Then, you enter into a large, long room with a grand dining table complete with chairs in the center. Among all the honeycomb and the bees, it looks like something from a dream.

Your stomach rumbles.

"Hungry?" asks Clockwork.

You duck your head, embarrassed. You just ate. But maybe you're finally coming up on the growth spurt that will take you up to your father's height.

"A snack, perhaps."

You sit down at the table, and in doing so, you remember the conversation you were having outside, on the bench.

"You never answered my question, you know," you say, not accusing, exactly, but curious. You'd asked for a reason.

"I suppose not," says Clockwork. "One moment." He takes a tray from a bee. It is covered in small bowls of honey. "Here, try this."

He holds out a honey dipper to you, and, aware this is another tactic to distract you, you take it. "I still want to know," you say. Then, you decide to suck on the honey dipper like it was a lollipop, which is probably not the intended use, but you don't really know what is.

"Yes, yes," says Clockwork. "As I was saying, the type of adult depends on what it is fed as a larva, before it pupates. Queen bees are fed only royal jelly as larvae. Ancients are similar."

You squint at Clockwork and pull the honey dipper from your mouth. "They're given something special as younger ghosts? Something that makes them develop into Ancients?"

"And each of the Ancients has a version of royal jelly that they keep safe, in case they might want to use it."

You still, the dipper in front of your lips. You aren't stupid, really, and the implication there...

"The word pupa ultimately derives from a word meaning 'doll,'" says Clockwork, apparently oblivious. "It is very appropriate for the pupae of the Ancients."

You think, for a moment, that you can feel your skin hardening around you, but you shake it off. Or, at least, you think you do.

"Clockwork," you say, "this isn't- You haven't been feeding me--?"

Clockwork leans over and puts his hand on your shoulder. It is firm, comforting. You can almost feel the vibration from his ticking clock echoing through your bones. "Daniel, it is a metaphor. The 'royal jelly' of the Ancients isn't anything like food."

You nod, but you put down the honey dipper. "I think I'm done eating for today, though." You stand up. You must have been sitting longer than you thought, because the movement is stiff, your limbs half asleep.

(You experience a brief moment of alienation, as if your body isn't yours, as if it doesn't belong to you.)

Clockwork shifts his grip as you move, almost as if he is contemplating picking you up. He doesn't, to your relief. Instead, he pats your back and walks ahead.

"There are other things here that might interest you," he says.

You follow.

[crevicedwelling]

as much as I grumble about holometabolous insects hogging all the research and popularity I can’t deny that ants are pretty damn amazing in about every way it is possible for a bug to be amazing

[professional-jaywalker]

Evolution/metamorphosis : alterhuman experiences of it?

So i see a lot of shapeshifter talking about that sort of metamorphosis, but a lot less the kind of insect type of it, of having different forms that are radically different as you grow, but not like... a power of choice over it. I'm kinda curious about it amongst alterhuman !

I immediately thought of insect therianthropes (holometabols mostly, aka the ones with a complete metamorphosis, such as hymenopterans, lepidopterans, beetles, etc) and pokekin, but if anyone else has something that applies (or, honestly, does not but comes close enough to be interesting to share), i'd love to hear it.

Just curious ! feel free to reblog with it, link to written essays, or anything else.

[rainbow-demoness]

The trans girl is an example of a holometabolic mammal.

[konjaku]

七節擬[Nanafushimodoki] Ramulus irregulariterdentatus

七[Nana] : Seven

節[Fushi] : Joint

擬[Modoki] : Pseudo-, -like

It is very commonly called Nanafushi and is also written as 竹���虫, which is an ateji and means Bamboo joints insect.

The length of the body is about from six to ten centimeters. Not uncommon, but hard to spot due to its mimicry of plant branches. This time this one was on the leaves of 躑躅[Tsutsuji](Azalea) and I noticed it right away. The way it moves slowly on its long legs looks like that of a sloth, and its humorous face reminds me of "What do we want meme".

The metamorphosis, or the process by which an organism changes its form as it grows, is called 変態[Hentai]. Take insects, for example, one that goes through the processes of egg, larva, and pupa to become an adult is called 完全変態[Kanzen hentai](Holometabolism; 完全 means perfect), one that does not go through the process of pupa is called 不完全変態[Fukanzen hentai](Hemimetabolism; 不完全 means inperfect), and Nanafushi is the latter. By the way, there is a certain word that has the same reading, the same kanji, but a different meaning, I will not mention here, though.

[ipsen]

Holometabolism has reached 100 kudos!

thanks so much for your support for the Sincerely, Sen series!

[horrendousmustard]

MY SWEET APATHETIC SOUL RETURNS!?!?!?

[uncharismatic-fauna]

Horsing Around with Horse Flies

Though horse flies are regarded worldwide as pests, members of the family Tabanidae are an important part of their natural environments. Adults feed on nectar, and some are specialized pollinators that have evolved to only collect from a few select flowers. Just like mosquitoes, only female horse flies feed on blood. Reproduction requires moisture; typically clean, stagnant or slow-moving water. Because of this, some species of horse fly are excellent indicators of an ecosystem’s health. Their role as disease carriers is also a valuable part of any functioning ecosystem; diseases can keep animal populations in check, and sick animals are often easier targets for predators. Horse flies themselves are also a juicy treat for amphibians, reptiles, and birds, as well as insects like wasps and spiders.

There are about 4,455 species of Tabanidae flies, the majority of which reside in the genus Tabanus. Most species share the same general body shape: a large head, a fat body supported by six legs, and one pair of wings. However, there are many variations on this pattern in terms of size, color, and specialized appendages. The smallest horse flies are only 5 mm (0.19 in) long, while the largest is over 30 mm (1.18 in). Like other flies, horse flies have a set of compound eyes made up of thousands of ommatidia: specialised units which allow them to combine input from multiple angles. The resulting image has a poor resolution, but it’s useful for detecting rapid movement-- an important tool when trying to avoid predators. The eyes of male horse flies are holoptic, meaning they meet in the middle to give the appearence of one continuous eye.

Horse flies go through a complete metamorphosis, also known as holometabolism, over the course of their lives. Eggs are laid of clusters of anywhere from 100 to 1000, typically on plants near a source of fresh water. After about six days, the larvae hatch and drop down into the water or burrow into the moist ground, and use a respiratory siphon to pull air from the surface. In temperate regions the grubs enter a stage of dormancy, while tropical horse flies develop year-round. While in this stage individuals consume a number of other insect larvae, worms, and aquatic insects. Once fully developed the horse fly larva pupates for one to three weeks, after which it emerges as a fully-grown adult. Mating can occur as soon as the wings have fully expanded, although female horse flies need to feed on large quantities of blood before depositing the egg mass, in order to provide her young with the nutrients they need to develop.

Conservation status: No horse fly species has been evaluated by the IUCN, and due to their large numbers  populations are considered stable. However, some species only live in certain habitats, particularly wetlands, which are threatened by pollution or destruction.

If you like what I do, consider leaving a tip or buying me a ko-fi!

Photos

Large marsh horse fly (Tabanus autumnalis) by AJ Cann

Greenhead horse fly (Tabanus nigrovittatus) by Claudia Husseneder

American horse fly (Tabanus americanus) by Sturgis McKeever

[dingodad]

i spent so many years arguing against grubscars by being like guys that's not how REAL insects work .. trolls don't moult they're holometabolous read the comic closely.. which was such a waste of my time because you don't even need to bring entomology into the conversation. this is the textual metaphor for troll pupation

yeah i'm sure this is just a gradual process of moulting layer by layer. i'm sure vriska only had a couple of scars on her ribs after this happened to her

[jimkinnz]

homunculus facts¡

homunculi are typically hemimetabolous' lacking any sort of pupal stage•

some homunculi recovered in amber deposits from the latest cretaceous seem to have done a process similar to pupation' however•

in my experience' some homunculi are perhaps voluntarily holometabolous•

by cuddling down in a sleeping bag or duvet•

pictured below; the author pupating but not metamorphosing•

[21clownboyroach]

you're telling me that in lethal company the maneater is supposed to be a cockroach? with a LARVAL form? you're telling me that in just a few hundred years, cockroaches are going to have evolved a completely different life history? they're suddenly holometabolous insects now? WAIT. IT DOESN'T EVEN PUPATE? it just goes from larva to adult! so it's evolved a form of metamorphosis heretofore unseen ANYWHERE in the insect world??? and you're still calling it a cockroach!? NOT ONLY THAT but this CREATURE WHICH HAS BECOME COMPLETELY DISTINCT FROM COCKROACHES is going to be placed in the EXISTING GENUS PERIPLANETA? the same genus as the american cockroach???? HAVE ALL THE TAXONOMISTS DIED AND NO ONE CAN RECOVER THE PRACTICE? do you understand how much cockroach phylogeny changes basically every fucking year??? and you're telling me that THING is in the GENUS periplaneta??? does that LOOK like periplaneta to you??? i can accept that a cockroach in 500 years can be big enough to eat people. in fact i hope that happens. but this is too far. i don't even play lethal company