Courtship and mating behaviour of pupal parasitoid, Xanthopimpla flavolineata Cameron (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonidae, Pimplinae)

Abstract

The present study investigated the courtship and mating behaviour of pupal parasitoid, Xanthopimpla  flavolineata in the laboratory. The results revealed that the premating period of day-old virgin females of X. flavolineata with newly emerged males was 23.21 ± 0.41 h, and day-old virgin males with newly emerged females was observed as 3.59 ± 0.07 h. The mating and preoviposition periods were 63.57 ± 3.39 seconds and 4.05 ± 0.16 days, respectively. The male approached the female with its antennal movement and body language. The females were mated on the day of emergence and mated many times during their life span. Almost immediately after emergence, the males became sexually active. When freshly emerging females were allowed to mate with males after their first mating, 53.33 per cent of females remated. The premating duration was shorter (2.73±0.62 h) and the mating period was longer (79.53±2.43 sec) when male rivalry occurred during mating. Mating success was more likely when two males were paired with a single virgin female. Males of greater and medium-size had a much higher chance of mating than males of lesser size. The courting and mating behaviour of X. flavolineata will be useful in improving laboratory mass rearing techniques.