What are the stages of an orthopteran life cycle?

Orthopterans are hemimetabolous insects, meaning they undergo simple or incomplete metamorphosis. Their life cycle consists of three primary stages: egg, nymph, and adult.1

• Egg: Eggs are typically deposited on the ground or on vegetation. In some species, the egg stage may last for one or more years depending on environmental conditions.12
• Nymph: Upon hatching, many orthopterans emerge as a vermiform larva, an active embryo enclosed in a thin membrane. After an intermediate molt, they become nymphs, which resemble smaller, wingless versions of the adult. Nymphs undergo a series of molts—typically between 4 and 13—to reach maturity.1
• Adult: The final molt marks the transition to adulthood, characterized by the development of wings and reproductive organs.13

Unlike holometabolous insects, orthopterans do not have a pupal or resting stage.1