What life stage of insects is commonly spread by birds and other animals?

The life stage of insects that is commonly spread by birds and other animals is the nymph. Nymphs are the immature stages of insects that undergo incomplete metamorphosis, meaning they hatch from eggs and develop through several instars without a pupal stage.

In many species, nymphs are smaller and often resemble miniature adults, making them more mobile and accessible for predation by birds and other animals. When these predators consume nymphs as part of their diet, they can inadvertently facilitate the distribution of these insects, especially herbivorous species that may have significant ecological impacts in their new locations.

Sticky eggs, on the other hand, are often placed in secure environments to protect them from predation and are not typically dispersed by animals. Winged males and females are often involved in the reproductive processes and mating behaviors, but they do not represent the life stage that is widespread and dispersed by predators or other animals in the same way nymphs do. Thus, nymphs are particularly associated with this method of dissemination through feeding behaviors.