Oviparity

Most insects reproduce by laying eggs, this is known as oviparity. In most cases the female insect will lay eggs either singularly or in batches in a suitable place. For example, the females of some species of mosquito lay eggs in the form of a floating raft on water. These rafts can contain more than 250 eggs.

In most species of insect there is little or no parental care. Once the eggs have been laid then the female leaves them, never to return. However, in some insects the females do tend the eggs. For example, female earwigs clean their eggs and will protect them until they hatch.

A photograph of eggs of the Vapourer Moth.
Photograph by Beentree licensed under Creative Commons.

Related terms

• Adenotrophic viviparity
• Aedeagus
• Egg
• Ootheca
• Ovipositor
• Parthenogenesis
• Spermatophore
• Viviparity

Related groups of terms

• General biology
• Insect life cycles

Related pages on this web site

• Insect life cycles

See other words beginning with O