Reproductive behaviour of the white-tailed zygaenid moth,Elcysma westwoodii (Lepidoptera,Zygaenidae). II. Female mating strategy

Male white-tailed zygaenid moths.Elcysma westwoodii, often gather to a female to mate her. One of the factors that seems to cause male gathering is the females' tendency to refuse males. Field observations indicated that there was a relationship between the courtship duration, the copulation duration and egg fertilization: short courtship was followed by long copulation and oviposition of fertile eggs in the same day, while long courtship was followed by short copulation and failure of oviposition. This phenomenon may be the result of differences in male activity. More “fertile” males can reach copulation more quickly and continue it longer than males by limiting receptivity. This “passive female choice” seems to function in high male density. Long copulation usually continued until the female began oviposition.