REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOUR AND PHYSIOLOGY OF TENEBRIO MOLITOR (COLEOPTERA: TENEBRIONIDAE): I. INITIATION OF MATING IN YOUNG ADULTS AND THE EFFECTS OF ADULT DENSITY

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Abstract
Adults of Tenebrio molitor L. can copulate on the second day after eclosion, but the majority of them do not do so until after the third day. Almost all adults copulated at least once within the first 4 to 5 days. Young females initiated copulation at a slightly earlier age than young males. Crowding enhances mating success in young adults, for which there appears to be a critical minimum adult density. The initiation of copulation was not inhibited at very high densities; this suggests that there is not a critical maximum adult density for mating success.
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