Natures wonders: singing for sex (Introduction)

by David Turell , Monday, April 20, 2015, 19:01 (3503 days ago) @ David Turell

Barn beetles do it:-"Bark beetles are perhaps best known for being pests of conifers in North America and coffee plantations around the world. However, despite their destructiveness these little guys have some pretty interesting behaviour. Female beetles construct a ‘gallery', trenches she bores out into wood where she will reside and wait for a male to mate with. Later she also lays eggs in her gallery.-"While building the gallery, the female bark beetle covers it in pheromones that act to attract males to it. She then waits for males to find her. When a male finds a gallery, he will approach, singing as he does through a series of chirps. However, only particular males are permitted access into her gallery; others are barred access at the entrance, and even pushed out completely by the female."-http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/not-bad-science/2015/04/19/male-bark-beetles-have-to-sing-a-password-to-be-given-access-to-a-females-home/