What we can learn from the energetic levels of insects: A guide and review

Authors: Lee, Jana

Submitted to: Annals of the Entomological Society of America
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/6/2018
Publication Date: 1/23/2019
Citation: Lee, J.C. 2019. What we can learn from the energetic levels of insects: A guide and review. Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 112(3):220-226. https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/say051.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/say051

Interpretive Summary: Fats and carbohydrates have often been measured in living organisms with various techniques. The method for measuring fats with a vanillin reagent that turns pink, and glycogen and sugars with an anthrone reagent that turns green/blue was provided by Van Handel whom studied mosquitoes. Since then, this technique has been used on many other insect species. Given the common use of this technique and variety of applications, a review is warranted on this. First the procedures, adaptations, and practical logistics are discussed. Then other procedures available for measuring energetic reserves are discussed. Previously, these nutrient measurements have been reviewed for studying sugar feeding behavior of insects on floral nectar or aphid honeydew. To follow-up, this review will survey a wider variety of applications with a focus on more recent papers. Such procedures have been useful for research on studying how a mother produces eggs over her lifetime, what influences the overwintering and mating behavior of insects, and the cost of flight. Lastly, these procedures have been used to test whether planting flowers in agricultural fields is beneficial to predators and parasitic wasps, such that they are actually feeding on the flowers provided to them.

Technical Abstract: Lipids and carbohydrates have long been measured in living organisms with various techniques. The calorimetric method for quantifying lipids with a vanillin reagent, and glycogen and sugars with an anthrone reagent in mosquitoes by van Handel has spawned research on numerous other insect species. Given the common use of this technique and variety of applications, a review is warranted on this. First the procedure and adaptations henceforth, and practical logistics with any nutrient assessment are discussed. Then other procedures available for quantifying energetic reserves are discussed. Previously, these nutrient assays have been reviewed for studying the sugar feeding behavior of biting flies and parasitoids. For this reason, this review will survey a wider variety of applications with nutrient assays with a focus on more recent papers, pest control and behavior. Such assays have been applied to better understand maternal allocation, overwintering and mating behavior, flight energetics, and testing the success of habitat manipulation programs.