Beyond Mortality: An Overview of Sublethal Impacts of Insecticides on Insect Health and Population Dynamics

Insecticides display biphasic dose-response characteristics, with high concentrations inhibiting insect activity and low concentrations eliciting stimulatory responses across diverse species. Although research has predominantly addressed lethal and acute toxicity, the sublethal impacts on both pest and beneficial insects often go unexamined. Exposure to sublethal doses can induce profound changes in insect physiology, development, population dynamics and behaviour, thereby facilitating environmental adaptation and complicating management strategies. This review synthesizes current knowledge on sublethal insecticide effects in crop-associated insects and discusses their implications for sustainable pest control and ecological risk assessment.