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Copulation behaviour of Lygocoris pabulinus under laboratory conditions
Author(s) -
Groot Astrid T.,
Wal Erna,
Schuurman Antje,
Visser J. Hans,
Blommers Leo H.M.,
Beek Teris A.
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
entomologia experimentalis et applicata
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.765
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1570-7458
pISSN - 0013-8703
DOI - 10.1046/j.1570-7458.1998.00366.x
Subject(s) - biology , pheromone , courtship , courtship display , sex pheromone , zoology , mating , moulting , ecology , larva
As a prerequisite to the elucidation of the sex pheromone of the green capsid bug Lygocoris pabulinus (L.), we studied the bug's reproductive development and behaviour. When kept under long‐day conditions (L18:D6) at 25 °C, both males and females start to copulate 4 days after the final moult. Second matings occur in some females, even on consecutive days. The premating period is 10 min on average and copulation lasts 1 to 2 min. At long range, when males are attracted to traps baited with live females, we did not observe a specific calling position of the females. At short range, a characteristic courtship behaviour of the females was not observed either. Males showed a characteristic vibration of the abdomen, which was repeated several times before copulation. This behaviour can be used as a bioassay to test potential sex pheromone compounds.