Ecophysiological Responses of the Lesser Mealworm Alphitobius diaperinus Exposed to Desiccating Conditions.

ABSTRACT: In order to improve predictions of the impacts of climate change on insects, this study aimed to uncover how exposure to dry conditions can affect the biology of the invasive pest beetle Alphitobius diaperinus in terms of longevity, activity, water content, metabolic profiles, and fecundity. We measured desiccation resistance in adults of A. diaperinus by recording the time the beetles could survive desiccation stress. We found that the species was highly desiccation resistant, with about 50% of the insects exposed to desiccation being able to survive for 30 days, and some individuals even survived for up to 50 days at 10% ± 2 relative humidity. There was no evidence of active upregulation of sugars or other metabolites which the beetles could have used to better tolerate des

SUBMITTER: Engell Dahl J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8905145 | biostudies-literature | 2022

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature