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Insect behaviour

Male beetles attracted by females mounting

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Abstract

Intrasexual mounting is performed by males and females of many taxa1, and female–female mounting occurs in insects, lizards, birds and mammals1,2. Although the adoption by females of other male-like characters, such as mimicry of male colour patterns3,4,5, is known to be advantageous, the benefits of female–female mounting have remained mysterious. Here we describe a pattern of female–female mounting in the beetle Diaprepes abbreviatus (Curculionidae) and demonstrate that it conveys a possible evolutionary advantage by providing a greater opportunity for the females to mate with larger males. This explanation may also apply to female intrasexual mounting in several other insect species.

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Figure 1: Female-female mounting in Diaprepes abbreviatus.

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Author notes

  1. Ally R. Harari

    Present address: Department of Entomology, The Volcani Center, Beit Dagan, 50250, Israel

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of Florida, Gainesville, 32611-8525, Florida, USA

    Ally R. Harari & H. Jane Brockmann

Authors
  1. Ally R. Harari
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  2. H. Jane Brockmann
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Correspondence to Ally R. Harari.

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Harari, A., Brockmann, H. Male beetles attracted by females mounting. Nature 401, 762–763 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/44515

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