Independent and interactive effects of immune activation and larval diet on adult immune function, growth and development in the greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella).

Organisms in the wild are likely to face multiple immune challenges as well as additional ecological stressors, yet their interactive effects on immune function are poorly understood. Insects are found to respond to cues of increased infection risk by enhancing their immune capacity. However, such adaptive plasticity in immune function may be limited by physiological and environmental constraints.

Sex-specific compensatory growth in the larvae of the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella.

Deficiency of food resources in ontogeny is known to prolong an organism's developmental time and affect body size in adulthood. Yet life-history traits are plastic: an organism can increase its growth rate to compensate for a period of slow growth, a phenomenon known as 'compensatory growth'. We tested whether larvae of the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella can accelerate their growth after a fast of 12, 24 or 72 h.

Intra- and trans-generational effects of larval diet on susceptibility to an entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana, in the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella.

In addition to nutritional conditions experienced by individuals themselves, those experienced by their parents can affect their immune function. Here, we studied the intra- and trans-generational effects of larval diet on susceptibility to an entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana, in the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella. In the first part of the study, a split-brood design was used to compare the susceptibility of full sibs raised either on low- or on high-nutrition larval diet.

Effects of interaction between temperature conditions and copper exposure on immune defense and other life-history traits of the blow fly Protophormia terraenovae.

Environmental pollution is considered one of the major threats to organisms. Direct effects of heavy metal pollution on various life-history traits are well recognized, while the effects of potential interactions between two distinct environmental conditions on different traits are poorly understood. Here, we have tested the effects of interactions between temperature conditions and heavy metal exposure on innate immunity and other life-history traits.

Effects of food quality on trade-offs among growth, immunity and survival in the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella.

The resources available to an individual in any given environment are finite, and variation in life history traits reflect differential allocation of these resources to competing life functions. Nutritional quality of food is of particular importance in these life history decisions. In this study, we tested trade-offs among growth, immunity and survival in 3 groups of greater wax moth (Galleria mellonella) larvae fed on diets of high and average nutritional quality.