Prepupal

Prepupal is a term used in entomology to describe a transitional developmental stage in many holometabolous insects that occurs after the final larval instar and before the pupal stage. In this phase, feeding generally ceases, movement diminishes, and the insect prepares to undergo pupation. Depending on the species, the prepupa may migrate to a suitable site and molt into a prepupal form within a protective covering such as a cocoon, chrysalis, or puparium, or it may remain mobile until the formation of the pupal exoskeleton.

During the prepupal stage, larval tissues are often broken down and reorganized as part of metamorphosis, and the insect's metabolism shifts from growth and feeding toward development of the adult form. The duration of prepupation is variable, typically ranging from hours to days, and is influenced by environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and photoperiod, as well as by the organism’s nutritional state. Prepupal stages have been described in several insect groups, including Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) and Coleoptera (beetles).

In contrast to the pupa, which is the main metamorphic stage during which major adult structures are formed, the prepupa is a brief transitional period that leads into pupation. Understanding prepupal biology aids in modeling life cycles, timing of emergence, and strategies for pest management and conservation across various insect taxa.