Any insect that goes through a metamorphosis has a final stage, otherwise known as an imago. For most, this means it’s the stage they are finally able to reproduce, fly, or generally engage in any other number of fun adult behaviors. A butterfly is in imago stage, there’s no further evolution or progression of its appearance or behavior.  Put simply, in imago, a species is whatever it is going to be. Nothing happening after that except the inevitable. Often it leaves its cocoon, or some version of its dried shell behind, clinging like an outdated relic to whatever surface it was when the change began. There is no phase after the imago, or if there is, it’s something we just don’t know about yet. Maybe we’ll find out when we get there. [Ryan Nimmo]