How do temperature and humidity generally affect insect development?

Higher temperatures and humidity generally speed up insect development because these environmental factors enhance metabolic processes within the insects. Insects are ectothermic, meaning their body temperature is determined by the ambient temperature. Warmer temperatures can lead to increased activity rates and faster growth cycles, allowing insects to develop from one life stage to the next more quickly.

Humidity also plays a crucial role in insect development. Higher moisture levels can facilitate various physiological processes, including respiration and nutrient absorption. This combination of elevated temperatures and humidity can lead to shorter life cycles, enabling insects to reproduce more rapidly and potentially leading to population booms under favorable conditions.

In contrast, lower temperatures and humidity can slow down development due to decreased metabolic rates and increased stress on the insects, resulting in longer development times.