Female mating frequency and progeny production in singly and doubly mated house and field crickets

Abstract

Many female insects mate more than once although the adaptive significance is often unclear. We studied the frequency of mating, the fate of the spermatophore, and progeny production of individual females as a function of single or double matings in the house cricket, Acheta domesticus, and the field cricket, Gryllus integer. Females of both species may mate repeatedly and often eat the externally attached spermatophore. In A. domesticus, doubly mated females produced significantly more offspring than did single maters, the difference resulting largely from the failure of 12.5% of the single maters to leave progeny. Singly and doubly mated G. integer did not differ regarding nymph production, but 50% of the singly mated females did not reproduce. Remating by female crickets partly functions in offsetting the probability of a failed initial mating. Nymph production increased significantly with the time the spermatophore was attached in singly mated A. domesticus. Spermatophore consumption by the female was not affected by male "guarding" behaviour, and the interval between mating and eating of the spermatophore may often be shorter than the time required for maximum insemination. It is suggested that acquisition of nutrition may be an additional function of female repeated matings.