Rather than a true adaptive process, laboratory colonization is proposed to depend on the plasticity of the tolerance limits in insect species. Insects will establish successfully in captivity if the magnitude of environmental variables are within the insects' ranges of colonization. Optimum physiological and behavioural responses are obtained when the variables are within the smaller preferred range of colonization. Other concomitant processes at colonization are selection, acclimatization and domestication. Definition of the terms “adaptation”, “acclimatization” and “domestication”, commonly misused in describing processes during laboratory colonization are proposed.
