An invitro method for determining whether or not a candidate compound is a modulator of an insect transient receptor potential V (TRPV) channel, comprising: (a) contacting a first cell expressing an insect TRPV channel with a candidate compound; and (b) assaying for a modulation of the insect TRPV channel, wherein the modulation identifies the candidate compound as the modulator of the insect TRPV channel, wherein the assaying step comprises at least one of the following steps: detecting calcium ion mobilization in the first cell in response to the candidate compound; or detecting a membrane potential in the first cell in response to the candidate compound; or comparing calcium ion mobilization in the first cell in the absence of the candidate compound with calcium ion mobilization in the first cell in the presence of the candidate compound; or comparing a membrane potential in the first cell in the absence of the candidate compound with a membrane potential in the first cell in the presence of the candidate compound; or comparing calcium ion mobilization in the first cell in the presence of the candidate compound with calcium ion mobilization reference level indicative of no modulation of the TPRV channel; or comparing a membrane potential in the first cell in the presence of the candidate compound with a membrane potential reference level indicative of no modulation of the TPRV channel. (a) contacting a first cell expressing an insect TRPV channel with a candidate compound; and (b) assaying for a modulation of the insect TRPV channel, wherein the modulation identifies the candidate compound as the modulator of the insect TRPV channel, wherein the assaying step comprises at least one of the following steps: detecting calcium ion mobilization in the first cell in response to the candidate compound; or detecting a membrane potential in the first cell in response to the candidate compound; or comparing calcium ion mobilization in the first cell in the absence of the candidate compound with calcium ion mobilization in the first cell in the presence of the candidate compound; or comparing a membrane potential in the first cell in the absence of the candidate compound with a membrane potential in the first cell in the presence of the candidate compound; or comparing calcium ion mobilization in the first cell in the presence of the candidate compound with calcium ion mobilization reference level indicative of no modulation of the TPRV channel; or comparing a membrane potential in the first cell in the presence of the candidate compound with a membrane potential reference level indicative of no modulation of the TPRV channel. detecting calcium ion mobilization in the first cell in response to the candidate compound; or detecting a membrane potential in the first cell in response to the candidate compound; or comparing calcium ion mobilization in the first cell in the absence of the candidate compound with calcium ion mobilization in the first cell in the presence of the candidate compound; or comparing a membrane potential in the first cell in the absence of the candidate compound with a membrane potential in the first cell in the presence of the candidate compound; or comparing calcium ion mobilization in the first cell in the presence of the candidate compound with calcium ion mobilization reference level indicative of no modulation of the TPRV channel; or comparing a membrane potential in the first cell in the presence of the candidate compound with a membrane potential reference level indicative of no modulation of the TPRV channel.