The innate immune system in insects is composed of a large variety of specific and non‐
specific responses that are activated in response to the presence of foreign agents. One …

Periodic travelling waves have been reported in a number of recent spatio-temporal field
studies of populations undergoing multi-year cycles. Mathematical modelling has a major …

Life‐history theory predicts that immune responses have evolved in the context of costs and
benefits. However, our understanding of the costs of mounting an immune response is …

A quarter century ago, the question was posed of whether a general hypothesis could
explain population cycles of forest Lepidoptera. Since then, considerable progress has been …

Empirical studies in vertebrates support the hypothesis that inbreeding reduces resistance
against parasites and pathogens. However, studies in insects have not found any evidence …

The mind‐body problem exists because we naturally want to include the mental life of
conscious organisms in a comprehensive scientific understanding of the world. On the one …

Dwindling resources might be expected to induce a gradual decline in immune function.
However, food limitation has complex and seemingly paradoxical effects on the immune …

Despite the strong impact of ultraviolet (UV) radiation on invertebrates, it is unknown
whether it affects immune function across metamorphosis. More generally, the mechanisms …

Theory suggests that secondary sexual traits should honestly reflect males'
immunocompetence. We tested whether the activation of a male's immune system has an …

Given the barrage of natural enemies that lepidopterans face during their larval stage, the
immune response should provide reliable, effective defense against pathogens, parasites …