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Insecticide tolerance shapes performance responses to multiple stressors in Leptinotarsa decemlineata
Erika M Bueno1, Yolanda H Chen1,2
1Department of Agriculture, Landscape, and Environment, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, United States.
Insect Science
|January 1, 2026
Summary
Insecticide resistance in pests may paradoxically increase vulnerability to environmental stressors. Selection for imidacloprid tolerance in Colorado potato beetles reduced their mobility and survival under combined heat and insecticide stress.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Entomology
- Insecticide Resistance
- Climate Change Adaptation
Background:
- Insect pests develop resistance to management strategies and face multiple environmental stressors.
- Cross-protection, where insecticide exposure enhances tolerance to other stressors, is a potential explanation for pest success.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if selection for imidacloprid tolerance affects Colorado potato beetle (CPB) responses to multiple stressors.
- To assess the impact of combined insecticide and heat stress on CPB.
Main Methods:
- Compared imidacloprid-selected and unselected CPB exposed to sublethal imidacloprid, high temperature, or both.
- Measured mobility, herbivory, development, fecundity, and mortality.
Main Results:
- Imidacloprid-selected beetles showed reduced mobility and survival under combined stress.
- Selected beetles had lower mobility under heat or imidacloprid alone.
- Combined stress effects on survival in selected beetles suggested synergistic interactions.
Conclusions:
- Selection for insecticide tolerance may create vulnerabilities to environmental stressors in CPB.
- Findings suggest potential trade-offs between insecticide resistance and stress tolerance, informing pest management under climate change.
