Insects need to ingest nutrients at appropriate levels to attain a balanced diet and maximize fitness. They do so by integrated responses that involve physiological mechanisms for sensing current nutritional needs, releasing systemic signals, and producing specific appetites for key required nutrients. Historically, the study of insect feeding behavior was appreciated for its importance in the understanding and control of crop pests and disease vectors. However, current evidence has shown that some mechanisms regulating feeding are highly conserved in animals, from insects to humans, bringing additional interest in insects as models in medicine. The study of insect feeding behavior and nutrition has also given rise to an integrative modelling approach called the geometric framework for nutrition. This approach has proven useful beyond the insects, and allows the understanding of the impact of multiple nutrients on individuals and their interactions in populations, communities, and ecosystems.
Neural Control Systems Underlying Insect Feeding Behavior