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- Title
Age-related changes in the frequency of harassment-avoidance behaviour of virgin females of the small copper butterfly, Lycaena phlaeas (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae).
- Authors
JUN-YA IDE
- Abstract
Mated females of the small copper butterfly Lycaena phlaeas avoid harassment by males by closing their wings and concealing themselves when in the proximity of a con-specific butterfly. This wing-closing behaviour is less frequently exhibited by virgin females that are two days old or older (i.e., potentially receptive) than by mated females. During the first 2 days after emergence, females of L. phlaeas are sexually immature and unreceptive. To determine whether recently emerged virgin females try to avoid male harassment, age-related changes in the frequency of harassment-avoidance behaviour of virgin females were investigated. On the day of emergence, a high percentage of virgin females exhibited wing-closing behaviour. Over the following 2 days, however, the frequency of this behaviour declined sharply and then reached a constant low level. This observation supports the idea that the harassmentavoidance behaviour exhibited by virgin females of L. phlaeas depends on their receptivity.
- Subjects
LYCAENA phlaeas; BUTTERFLY behavior; MATE selection; ANIMAL courtship; AGE disparity in sexual relationships
- Publication
European Journal of Entomology, 2014, Vol 111, Issue 3, p417
- ISSN
1210-5759
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.14411/eje.2014.037