INFLUENCE OF PREVIOUS MATING EXPERIENCE ON FUTURE MATING SUCCESS IN MALE LUCILIA-CUPRINA (DIPTERA, CALLIPHORIDAE)

Receptive and virgin L. cuprina females were placed with a virgin male and an experienced male that had mated between one and five times pre viously. The experienced males secured significantly more matings than virgin males. Males with previous matings also gained experience in c ompeting with males. Males directed mating attempts at each other, see mingly in the context of intrasexual competition. Experienced males di rected more mating attempts at virgin males than vice versa. As their number of previous matings increased, experienced males made the first mating attempt at females more often and directed more mating attempt s at females compared with virgin males. Females did not actively disc riminate against experienced males, even though the proportion of mati ngs secured on the first attempt by experienced males declined with in creasing mating experience. Alternative behavioral explanations are di scussed.