Reproductive Biology of the Yellow-Spotted Longicorn Beetle, Psacothea hilaris(PASCOE)(Coleoptera:Cerambycidae) : I.Male Mating Behaviors and Female Sex Pheromones

Abstract

Mating behaviors of the yellow-spotted longicorn beetle, Psacothea hilaris (PASCOE) were analyzed to reveal how males recognize females. Typically, a male dashed toward a female upon antennal contact with her body, and held her with forelegs. Holding occurred without the dashing behavior when the male's tarsi contacted the female body by chance. subsequently the male mounted the female, licked her elytra and thorax with his oral palpi, bent his abodomen, and copulated. The male recognized the female with antennal, tarsal or oral contact. Both tarsal and oral perception of female stimuli were essential in eliciting a sequence of male mating behavior except "dash", while the antennal perception released only "dash" behavior. Female sex pheromone(s) was involved in eliciting male mating behavior, while visual or physical factors of the female did not seem to be important in mate recognition.