When do bugs see (infra)red?

Objective: To review the plausibility of insect detection of infrared (IR) cues that covary with semiochemical vibrational signatures, and to produce falsifiable predictions through the integration of comparative entomology, spectroscopy, neural timing analysis, and computational electromagnetism. The vibrational theory remains contested, so the framework treats IR/vibrational sensing as a testable complement to molecular recognition rather than a replacement for receptor binding . Methods: We integrate: (i) literature-grounded morphometric ranges for antennal sensilla, (ii) ATR-FTIR evidence that insect body chemistry can support species discrimination, (iii) published olfactory receptor neuron timing constraints, and (iv) deterministic electromagnetic models that expose their assumptions and parameter sensitivity . Preregistered experimental protocols specify QCL/LED bands (2--25 µm),