During the larvae stage of the diamondback moth, the significance of glycerol was tested again for validity. The lab injected the larvae with added glycerol and in turn proved that glycerol is a major factor in survival rate when cold hardening. The cold tolerance is directly proportional to the buildup of glycerol during cold hardening. Cold hardening of insects improves the survival rate of the species and improves function. Once environmental temperature begins to warm up above freezing, the cold hardening process is reversed and the glycerol and cryprotective compounds decrease within the body. This also reverts the function of the insect to pre-cold hardening activity. See also Antifreeze protein Cryobiology Cryopreservation Overwintering Hibernation References Physiology Plant physiology Cryobiology