Insects account for more than 80 percent of all animal species on Earth, but their interior emotional lives are still largely a mystery to us. Unlike humans, who experience stress from emotional and physical triggers, insects experience a different kind of “stress.” New scientific studies started to shed light on what happens to insects when they encounter threatening environments and possibly dangerous conditions. Knowing how these creatures respond gives Frisco exterminators a broader understanding of animal behavior.
In this article, we will look at the evidence for stress-like states in insects, how they manifest, and what this implies in terms of effective pest-control strategies based on the most recent research in the fields of entomology and animal behavior.
Do Insects Actually Get Stressed?
Yes, insects do show some physiological responses like stress, although not the same as human stress. When dealing with threats or trying conditions, insects make stress hormones such as octopamine (the insect equivalent of adrenaline).
These physical alterations enable insects to react to threats and environmental pressures. For instance, Honey bees have elevated stress hormones when exposed to pesticides or parasites. Likewise, fruit flies exhibit distinct patterns of neural activity when avoiding negative stimuli, which could point to an evolutionary precursor to “anxiety” or other stress responses.
However, insect stress does not share the same level of complexity as human stress in terms of emotions and cognition. They act on automatic and instinctual responses rather than emotionally lived experiences.
How Do Pests Emotionally React to Environmental Changes?
Pests have their own way of reacting to environmental changes that happen. From understanding temperature fluctuations to behavior changes, here are few things to understand:
-
Temperature Fluctuations
Insects are very sensitive to temperature changes. Cockroach behavior, such as movement and feeding habits, changed with temperature stress. It is a direct physiological response to stress that their bodies produce heat shock proteins, a protective measure. In the extreme heat, many insects escape to cooler places inside homes, making their appearances during spikes in temperature.
-
Chemical Exposure
Insects often show avoidance behaviors and physiological alterations when exposed to insecticides or repellents. Mosquitoes exposed to sublethal doses of common insecticides demonstrated altered flight patterns and reduced success at feeding on a host — both characteristic signs of a stress response. These chemical stressors can induce emergency hormonal cascades analogous to the mammalian fight-or-flight system.
-
Resource Scarcity
Insect behavior changes drastically in the face of shortages. And when regular food sources are reduced, ants will increase the distance they forage for food by as much as 400%. This adaptation is a direct response to environmental stress, and it reveals why these ant invasions occur during seasonal transitions when outdoor food sources become scarce.
What Do Pests Do When They Get Stressed?
Typically, stressed insects react in one of three ways: avoiding a stressful situation, adapting to it, or undergoing some kind of physiological change. Cockroaches become more agitated when frightened, scrambling into gutter darkness. When their environment is disrupted, bed bugs may delay feeding or alter their activity patterns. And, under stress, many pests, including termites, ramp up reproduction — a survival mechanism to preserve the species.
Stressed insects are known to emit alarm pheromones, which elicit group responses in social species. That is why when you disturb a wasp nest or ant colony, it elicits coordinated defensive behavior. By understanding these stress responses, scientists can gain insight into pest behavior and design more targeted and effective control strategies.
Do You Need Pest Control Service?
Pest control management is beyond just putting chalk on the countertop and hoping they will go overnight. It goes beyond basic DIY solutions. Professional pest control services can go beyond the traditional approach to help you find a tailored solution to the pest problem that is persisting in your home. So, if you ever spot a pest problem, do not hesitate to talk to professionals.
