Which does thermoregulation or female availability have stronger infulences on male mate-locating schedule?
Laboratory of Ethology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology ABSTRACT. We investigated how the female post-emergence behavior might influence male reproductive strategy in Pieris rapae crucivora (Lepidoptera: Pieridae). Newly-emerged females stayed on the underside of leaves ca. 2.5 hours after emergence, and then flew voluntarily into the open where they are more visible to males. Time spent before initial flight was correlated negatively with ambient temperature, and initial flights increased significantly the possibility that males detected females. To evaluate whether these results could explain time schedule of male mate-locating behavior in the field, female availability was estimated by shifting the observed schedule of female emergence according to relationship between initial flight and temperature. The estimated female availability is correlated significantly with temporal changes observed in the number of mate-locating males.
