NYMPH, among naturalists, that state of winged-
insects between their living in the form of a worm, and Nymphæ, their appearing in the winged or most perfect state. Nymphæum.
The eggs of insects are first hatched into a kind of worms, or maggots; which afterwards pass into the nymph-state, surrounded with shells or cases of their own skins: so that, in reality, these nymphs are only the embryo-insects, wrapped up in this covering; from whence they at last get loose, though not without great difficulty.
During this nymph-state the creature loses its motion. Swammerdam calls it nympha aurelia, or simply aurelia; and others give it the name of chrysalis, a term of the like import. See the article CHRYSA LIS.