The Sugarbeet root maggot (SBRM) is a key insect pest of sugarbeet in the Red River Valley of North Dakota. The insect has been found to have the capacity for surviving up to seven years as a 3rd-instar in cold (7.2^oC) storage. Respiration studies were carried out at temperatures of 5, 10, 15 and 20^oC on the following: 1) laboratory cold-stored (7.2^oC) 3rd-instars; 2) field-collected 3rd-instars; 3) pupae, and 4) adults. Results revealed differences in respiratory quotient (RQ) values according to changes in temperature in the laboratory-stored 3rd-instars, whereas the prolonged stored larvae showed a shift in the respiration rate from an expected RQ value of 0.4 for diapausing 3rd-instars to 1.0 for non-diapausing larvae when measured at 5^oC. This preliminary work sets the stage for our future studies aimed at the following: 1) determining whether there is a difference in the metabolism of field-collected and laboratory-stored diapausing 3rd-instar SBRM larvae; and 2) identifying the mechanisms enabling these insects to survive multiple years of cold storage. This research should also lead to a better understanding of the field physiology of these insects, which may be useful for building more accurate pest developmental models and could provide insight for improving the long-term storage of beneficial and test insects