The Influence of Food on Cold Hardiness of Insects

Abstract

There is ample evidence that many plants overwintering in cold regions undergo a hardening process in the fall that enables them to survive lower temperatures than they otherwise could (Levitt, 1941). It is generally assumed by entomologists that a similar acquisition of cold hardiness protects those insects that require it. It is the purpose of this paper to examine the evidence that insects develop cold hardiness, and to present new evidence regarding its acquisition and loss.