What are the four stages of development for ticks?

The four stages of development for ticks are correctly identified as egg, larvae, nymph, and adult. This life cycle begins when a female tick lays eggs, usually in a protected environment. Once the eggs hatch, the larvae emerge, requiring a host to feed upon before progressing to the next stage.

After being nourished, the larvae molt to become nymphs, which again need to feed on a host to continue their development. Nymphs are vital for disease transmission as they can carry pathogens during this stage. Finally, after feeding and molting again, the nymphs mature into adults. This full cycle showcases the importance of each stage in the tick's life in terms of growth and potential disease transmission.

The other choices introduce stages or terms that do not fit the recognized developmental cycle of ticks. For instance, the terms "pupa" and "instar" are more commonly associated with the life cycles of other insects, such as butterflies and flies, rather than ticks. "Juvenile" and "mature" are vague and do not accurately reflect the scientifically defined stages of tick development.