Nymph (biology)

From Freepedia

In biology, a nymph is the immature form of some insect species (e.g. among the locusts, cicadas, mayflies, termites, crickets, grasshoppers, cockroaches, mantids, and dragonflies) that undergo incomplete metamorphosis (hemimetabolism). It is not to be confused with a larva, as its overall form is already that of the adult.

The word is borrowed from mythology; see "Nymph". Nymphs of a number of aquatic inects, such as dragonfly, mayfly, or damselfly are also called naiads, after the aquatic nymphs, naiads.