Mating Behavior of the Udo Longicorn Beetle, Acalolepta luxuriosa BATES (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

Abstract

Mating behavior of the udo longicorn beetle, Acalolepta luxuriosa was observed in the field and the laboratory. Mating behavior of the male consisted of wandering (searching for the female), orientation to approaching the female, grasping, mounting, licking, and copulation. The wandeing behavior of the male was the only means for the male to meet with the female. Copulation lasted about 20sec to 10min with an average of about 4min. After copulation and during oviposition by females, males still remained in contact with the female in a position of amplexus, and copulation took place many times with an interval of about five minutes. Sexual maturity or reaction of the female to the male sexual activity increased as the female aged, reaching the maximum on the 6th day after emergence attraction of the male to the female also increased with the age of the male but more slowly, reaching the maximum on day 10. The competition between males for the access to the female was strong and males fought each other by grasping, pushing and taping with the antennae. The significance of repeated copulation in A. luxuriosa was discussed from the viewpoint of spermatozoon competition.