Sounds Associated with the Mating Behavior of a Mutillid Wasp1

Abstract

Pairs of Dasymutilla foxi produced a coordinated sound sequence while mating and attempting to mate. Two distinct sounds are made by these insects. Males and females produce stridulation, sounds made by rubbing abdominal parts together. Males can also honk by vibrating their wings. If mating was successful, the male and female both stridulated, alternating with each other at ca. 1-sec intervals. As the male approached a female, he produced 2-4 honks/sec. If the female was not receptive the male would seize her and continue to honk while the female stridulated 8-12 times/sec. The male appeared to immobilize the female partially with vibration and caused her to alter her stridulatory chirp. We suggest that this sound sequence plays an essential role in mating.