Final answer:
The larval stage is known as the feeding stage of the insect life cycle, where growth and feeding are the primary objectives. Larvae consume food voraciously to support their growth and transformation into the next stages of their life cycle.
Step-by-step explanation:
The feeding stage of the insect life cycle is known as the larval stage. During this stage, insects are primarily focused on growth, which involves consuming food to facilitate their subsequent transformations. After the larva emerges from the egg, it eats voraciously and grows, with each stage of the life cycle - egg, larva, pupa, and adult - being distinctly different from the others. The larval stage can involve chewing mouthparts which are utilized for feeding, even in species where the adults have different mouthparts adapted for sucking or sponging. Metamorphosis, the process by which an insect transforms from one stage to another, is advantageous because it allows for different adaptations at different life stages. This division of functions and adaptations minimizes competition among life stages. Insects, such as ants, beetles, and butterflies, undergo complete metamorphosis with a pronounced change at each stage, while others, like cockroaches, have more gradual metamorphosis.