Akh^AP/Akh^AP mutants do not display any abnormalities in hatchability, viability, female fecundity, body size (measured as length of thorax), wing area, adult spontaneous locomotion or climbing, flight performance, carbohydrate and lipid stores between L3 and immature adult stages, corpora cardiaca cell number, or carbohydrate stores in mature adults, as compared to controls.

Akh^AP/Akh^AP mutants display a small, significant decrease in developmental time. In the first week of adulthood, Akh^AP/Akh^AP mutants develop obesity (significantly increased glyceride to protein ratio), and significantly decreased circulating sugars in the hemolymph. Adult Akh^AP/Akh^AP mutants show significantly increased starvation resistance, impaired lipid (but not carbohydrate) mobilization during starvation, suppressed starvation-induced hyperactivity, increased survival in response to paraquat feeding, but also increased paraquat-induced food aversion, and decreased oxidative stress resistance when assayed by paraquat application directly to the nerve cord, as compared to controls.