Jan Hamrsky / Mosquito larvae and pupa (Culex sp.), Europe, August, controlled conditions, focus stacked

Alex Hyde / Parasitic fungus (Cordyceps militaris) fruiting body. This entomopathogenic fungus grows from an underground insect pupa or larva. Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve. Nottinghamshire, UK. October...

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

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

Jan Hamrsky / Mosquito (Culex pipiens) larva below its pupa case. Europe, August.

Alex Hyde / Silk moth (Saturniidae) cocoon, used in textile production, photographed on a white background. Maroantsetra, Northeast Madagascar.

Ingo Arndt / Adult Egyptian Locust (Anacridium aegyptium) emerging from nymphal skin, captive, Africa. Winner of Fritz Polking portfolio prize, GDT 2012 competition.

Alex Hyde / Peacock Butterfly {Inachis io} emerging from chrysalis against white background. Sequence 6/6.

Alex Hyde / Peacock Butterfly {Inachis io} emerging from chrysalis against white background. Sequence 4/6.

Alex Hyde / Peacock Butterfly {Inachis io} emerging from chrysalis against white background. Sequence 3/6.

Ingo Arndt / Pupa of Madagascar moon moth (Argema mittrei) Madagascar (Captive)

Ingo Arndt / Pupa of Common sargeant butterfly (Athyma perius)

Doug Wechsler / Viceroy butterfly pupa {Limenitis archippus} on leaf stem. USA. Captive.

Doug Wechsler / Butterfly {Dynastor darius} chrysalis / pupa on leaf stem. Costa Rica.

Pete Oxford / Tiger butterfly {Tithorea harmonia} chrysalids on leaf stem. Amazon, Ecuador

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

Kim Taylor / Wood-boring / Longhorn beetle {Rhagium mordax} pupa in Oak wood. UK.

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

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

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

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

Ingo Arndt / Deaths head hawk moth pupa in soil {Acherontia atropos} Germany

Pete Oxford / Window winged saturnid moth {Rothschildia sp} newly emerged from pupa, Amazonia, Ecuador

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pete Oxford / Morph caterpillar pupating, Ecuadorian Amazon.

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

WILLIAM OSBORN / Small tortoiseshell butterfly just emerged from pupa (Aglais urticae) UK

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

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

Mark Moffett / Fire Ant (Solenopsis geminata) colony with queen ant, workers and pupae, Florida

Jim Brandenburg / Monarch (Danaus plexippus) butterfly newly emerged from chrysalis, California

Thomas Marent / Tigerwing butterfly (Mechanitis sp.), two chrysalis, Ithomiini, Santa Maria, Boyac? Colombia

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

Mark Moffett / Amazon Ant (Polyergus sp) group returning to their home nest at the conclusion of a slave raid, grey slave ant carries one of their pupa, near Lake Tahoe, California

Mark Moffett / Ant (Pseudomyrmex sp) tends pupa, while larvae at right, eats carrot-like growth from host Acacia

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

Mark Moffett / Fire Ant (Solenopsis geminata) nest showing large queen, workers and pupa, Florida