Pheromonal stimulation of the sexual activity of males of the sheep blowfly Lucilia cuprina (Calliphoridae) by the female

Abstract

Males of the Australian sheep blowfly, Lucilia cuprina (Wied.): Calliphoridae, are sexually stimulated by the presence of conspecific females. A stimulatory effect of the odour of females is demonstrated but a greater effect is seen when the males are able to contact the females. Male flies do not attain their maximal level of responsiveness to the odour of mature females until their 4th day after emergence. Neither is maximal male response to odour from females achieved until the females have reached their 2nd or 3rd day after emergence. The relatively poor stimulation by females of less than 3 days after emergence is reflected in their pattern of acceptance of males for mating. Protein feeding of the male flies causes a heightening of their potential sexuality. Protein fed assay males are more stimulated by the odour of protein fed females than by that of non-protein fed females, and they show no response to odour of protein fed and non-protein fed males. Non-protein fed assay males are equally stimulated by protein fed females, non-protein fed females and protein fed males but not by non-protein fed males. Selective orientation by males toward a protein fed female but not a non-protein fed female in close proximity to them may be largely due to differences in the behavioural traits of those females.