The present study aimed to investigate hormesis and its effect on insect populations. Hormesis is an adaptive response in which low doses of chemicals have a stimulating effect on living organisms. This mechanism suggests that mild stressors can improve the host defense system, while higher concentrations of the same stressors can be harmful or fatal. Insects are often exposed to various stressors, including chemicals, heat, and nutrient deficiencies, frequently at low levels. The hormetic effects on insects are now well-established, and this phenomenon can be harnessed to better manage insect populations, ecological structures, and performance in agricultural environments. Insects, present in nearly all terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, are constantly exposed to a range of synthetic pesticides and both non-chemical and chemical stressors. These factors lead to dynamic non-biological and biological processes related to pest control, that vary over time and space in the field. Understanding and considering hormesis is crucial in pest management. To accurately assess the effects of insecticides on hormesis, field-based studies, and experiments are necessary to apply these findings to broader ecosystems. Despite the importance of hormesis, limited research has been conducted on insect toxicology in this context. Future studies should delve deeper into the evaluation of physiological, morphological, behavioral, molecular, and demographic markers to better understand how insects cope with hormesis.
