Incorporating arbitrary stage duration distributions in stage‐structured matrix population models

Abstract Life table analyses in entomology are primarily age‐structured, despite many insect species having distinct life stages (e.g., egg, larva, pupa, adult). Stage‐specific parameters are frequently reported in studies using age‐structured models, even though these parameters are not directly incorporated into the analyses A key challenge in stage‐structured modelling is accurately representing stage duration distributions. Simplified assumptions, such as geometric distributions, are often used for convenience but can introduce bias and lead to inaccurate conclusions. This study introduces a method to directly incorporate arbitrary stage duration distributions into stage‐structured models without relying on approximations. The approach is demonstrated with an example and validated through simulations. The method effectively captures population dynamics with non‐standard stage duration distributions. Properly parameterized stage‐structured models enable the identification of critical targets for applications, such as pest management, which is challenging with age‐structured models.