DIET INFLUENCES MALE-FEMALE INTERACTIONS IN THE BUSH-CRICKET REQUENA-VERTICALIS (ORTHOPTERA, TETTIGONIIDAE)

The influence of diet on the courtship roles of male and female Requen a verticalis was investigated in the laboratory. The protein content o f available food was found to affect the frequency of mating attempts. Pairs which were fed on a low-protein diet were involved in fewer mat ing attempts than pairs which were fed on a high-protein diet. Diet al so influenced the relative frequencies of male and female rejections. Males rejected their virgin female partners more often than females re jected their male partners when the pairs were kept on a low-protein d iet. The opposite was found when the female had mated once before. No difference in the frequency of male and female rejections was found wh en the pair was kept on a high-protein diet irrespective of the mating status of the female.