How many times can an odonate larva molt before becoming an adult?

Odonate larvae typically molt approximately 8 to 17 times before reaching adulthood. The exact number of instars—the developmental stages between molts—varies both within and between different species.1

As the larva grows, it sheds its cuticular sheath to accommodate its increasing size. While wing sheaths are not visible in early stages, they appear roughly halfway through larval development and enlarge with each subsequent molt. Once the larva reaches the end of its final instar, it leaves the water and undergoes one last molt to emerge as a fully developed adult.12