Sexual Recognition and Mating Behavior of the Populus Longhorned Beetle, Batocera lineolata (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

Abstract

We studied the sexual recognition and mating behavior of B. lineolata by video tracking capture system (EthoVision 3.1) and field observation, in order to get some fundamental information for the effective control of Batocera lineolata Chevrolat (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) and enrich the reproductive behavior of the insect. Result showed that, during the encountering, the intersection time of two tracks and net relative movements for the female-male group were longer than for the female-female group or the male-male group; while the reaction time was shorter than the latters. A complete mating of B. lineolata included three stages, i.e. (ⅰ) pair-bonding (ⅱ) mating attempt and ejaculation (ⅲ) post-copulatory guarding. The average time of pair-bonding is 2.16 min, and 10.28 min, 5.37 min for mating and post-copulatory guarding, respectively. In mating experiments with different sex ratios, the mating number fluctuated regularly, and it was greatly different in mating number for male or female individuals. The virgin female or male, spent more total ejaculation time than mated ones. Higher mating rates were observed on the host plant than on the open ground. The mating behavior in the field test was similar to results from the laboratory experiment.