Major insect declines have now been detected across the planet. Global warming is an

important cause of insect declines since their body temperatures rise with temperatures in their

habitat. Insects can use two quick responses as their habitat becomes too hot—escape and/or

acclimatize. Yet, the two are rarely jointly studied in insects at a large scale, and we need to

know if and how insects can use behavior, physiology, or both to avoid overheating. I plan to

fill this critical knowledge gap by testing two non-mutually exclusive hypotheses. The

Thermal landscape hypothesis posits that thermal heterogeneity of a landscape determines

regulation of body temperature via behavior. The Specialist-generalist hypothesis predicts

that populations in stable habitats have narrower thermal ranges and higher maximum

performance. I will focus on ants, a lineage of globally distributed and ecologically important

insects. I will measure microclimates experienced by ants and record their behavioral and physiological thermoregulation strategies, to model and predict the composition of ant

communities in a warming world. Warming in the Mediterranean region is higher than the

global average, so it is pressing to understand warming effects on insects. I will use a natural

temperature gradient across Adriatic islands, as islands are almost closed ecological systems,

making them prefect outdoor laboratories. In doing so I will launch an innovative and timely

research program in Croatia, train the next generation of researchers and create an attractive

research hub of international scientific importance.