MATING-BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCTIVE STRATEGY OF CHRYSEIDA-BENNETTI BURKS(HYMENOPTERA, EURYTOMIDAE), A PARASITOID OF THE BEAN WEEVIL .1. ROLE OF PARTNER AGE

This paper relates a female age effect to the mating behavior of Chrys eida bennetti Burks, an ectoparasitoid of the bean weevil (Acanthoscel ides obtectus (Say)). The sexual behavior includes rapid courtship and copulation followed by a postmating courtship behavior (''guarding'') . Male guarding behavior varies according to the females' age, with ma les guarding females of 2-3 days old longer than younger and older fem ales. A period of sexual maturation is necessary for most of the males . Females' attractiveness begins at the pupal stage, and their recepti vity on emergence. Mated females are still attractive to males. Multip le matin,os (up to four copulations) with the same male have been obse rved. The females' age seems to control copulation frequency and the d uration of the postmating courtship behavior. Two- and three-day-old f emales had more successive multiple matings with the same male than th e other females did, and males spent much more time guarding them. The age of the males (except from newly emerged males) did not seem to in fluence copulation frequency. On the other hand, the complexity of the sequential courtship behavior increased with the age of the partners. The function of males' postmating courtship is discussed.