Aerobic function in mitochondria persists beyond death by heat stress in insects.

The critical thermal maximum (CT) of insects can be determined using flow-through thermolimit respirometry. It has been demonstrated that respiratory patterns cease and insects do not recover once the CT temperature has been reached. However, if high temperatures are maintained following the CT, researchers have observed a curious phenomenon whereby the insect body releases a large burst of carbon dioxide at a rate and magnitude that often exceed that of the live insect.