Animal life cycles

The distinction between the phases in the life cycle of some animals is particularly striking in the well-known case of insects such as butterflies (with their caterpillar and pupal phases). An even more striking case is that of the cellular slime molds in which the spores gow independently and then aggregate together into a migration amoebal form. This eventually transforms itself into a 'fruiting body' from which the spores are released to continue the cycle.

There is the possibility that some extremely different psycho-social forms can usefully be understood in the above light as constituting stages of transformative cycles.

The radical nature of the transformation which may involve a complete shift of medium (e.g. from water to air). The contrast in mobility and aesthetic features between the different phases (in the case of butterflies for example).

It is possible that the radical nature of the transformation prevents this metaphor from being used, despite the exposure of all schoolchildren to such biological cycles in classes on nature.

Relative lengths of each phase of such a cycle. Change in nature of vulnerability at each portion of the cycle.