These may be external, such as drought, or fire, that triggers sexual maturation of certain plants, or internal, such as percentage of body fat (certain animals).
The female honeybee only becomes sexually mature if it is fed a special substance ("royal jelly") during the larval stage.
It may also be accompanied by a growth spurt or other physical changes which distinguish the immature organism from its adult form.
For example, in bulls, puberty is characterized by the accelerated growth of the genital system, an increase in luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion, and the onset of spermatogenesis.
Sexual maturity, however, signifies the attainment of full reproductive capacity, which may take up to 6–9 months after puberty.