Insecticide-induced hormesis in insects

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Very low doses of insecticide can have stimulatory effects on insects. This biphasic toxicological phenomenon, whereby a chemical may be toxic at high doses but stimulatory at low doses is called ‘hormesis’. We previously showed that exposure of insects to mild doses of insecticide can greatly stimulate population growth and alter expression of genes involved in stress response and development. However, we still have a relatively poor understanding of the ecological and evolutionary significance of insecticide-induced hormesis for insects. The long-term goal of the research program is to understand the adaptive significance and potential practical applications of hormetic stress responses in insects. This will serve as a centerpiece for the following short-term objectives/questions: