Pharmacological modulation of ageing is viewed as a viable route to extending lifespan and healthspan, yet the efficacy of putative geroprotectors may depend strongly on physiological and environmental context. Lithium chloride (LiCl) has been reported to extend lifespan in several model organisms, but evidence remains inconsistent and the role of reproductive investment—an energetically costly and often lifespan-correlated pr...

Early life conditions can have long‐lasting effects on fitness. In insects, larval crowding increases intraspecific competition, shaping adult phenotypes and influencing male reproductive success in pre‐ and post‐mating competition. Although some larval crowding effects on seminal fluid protein (Sfp) allocation are known, studies often focus on a small subset of Sfps and overlook male–female interactions. A comprehensive under...

Aggressive behaviours occur throughout the animal kingdom and agonistic contests often govern access to resources. Nutrition experienced during development has the potential to influence aggressive behaviours in adults through effects on growth, energy budgets and an individual’s internal state. In particular, resource-poor developmental nutrition might decrease adult aggression by limiting growth and energy budgets, or altern...