Female bushcrickets mated with parasitized males show rapid remating and reduced fecundity (Orthoptera: Phaneropteridae: Poecilimon mariannae)

Abstract

 Following mating, female bushcrickets undergo a refractory period during which they are sexually unreceptive. The length of the refractory period correlates with the size of the spermatophylax. However, the size of the nuptial gift of acoustically signalling bushcrickets is often reduced as a result of infections by parasitoid flies. We examined the effect of male parasitoid infection on the induction of the refractory period and fecundity of females. We found a drastically reduced refractory period in females if the first mating partner was infected. During this shortened period fewer eggs were deposited, as an effect of the shorter refractory period, whereas the daily egg-laying rate remained the same regardless of whether the females were mated with a parasitized or an unparasitized male.