Effects of male age on the mating behavior of both sexes in the sorghum plant bug, Stenotus rubrovittatus (Hemiptera: Miridae)

Abstract

In the sorghum plant bug Stenotus rubrovittatus (Matsumura) (Hemiptera: Miridae), mating behavior consists of male courtship and female mating receptivity. Previous studies have found that female age is correlated with ovary development and that mature females with developed ovaries are more receptive to male courtship. Thus, we examined whether male age affects the mating behavior of both sexes and male accessory gland development. Unmated males 0–9 days after emergence and 3-day-old virgin females receptive to male courtship were studied. Immediately after emergence, only 20 % of the males courted females (n = 25). At 3 days old, 68 % of the males courted females (n = 25), the most active age. In contrast, more than 75 % of the courted females were receptive to the male courtship regardless of male age. These results indicate that only male courtship behavior is affected by male age, although it is not enhanced in proportion to male age. Male accessory glands developed with male age. However, no clear relationship was detected between male courtship behavior and accessory gland development. In S. rubrovittatus, it is difficult to explain male courtship behavior solely from male age and accessory gland development.