Mating question

Dave McCormick · Post by **Dave McCormick** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 8:58 pm

Just wanted to find out about butterfly mating. I have always wanted to know if a male mates with more than one female or just one? Do any species do it?

Whats the most intresting courtship in UK butterflies to see?

Does the courtship/mating differ in spring/summer or is it same throughout year?

Just like to know.

Cheers,

Dave

Post by **Pete Eeles** » Sun Apr 29, 2007 9:34 pm

"I have always wanted to know if a male mates with more than one female or just one?"
I've observed this with Lime hawk-moths and have always assumed that this could also be the case with butterflies.

"Whats the most intresting courtship in UK butterflies to see?"
Silver-washed Fritillary, where the male circles the female, spraying pheremones as he goes

Wood White is pretty amazing too, where the male faces the female and flicks his proboscis either side of the female.

"Does the courtship/mating differ in spring/summer or is it same throughout year?"
I believe it's the same for all broods.

Cheers,

- Pete

Trev Sawyer · Post by **Trev Sawyer** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 3:31 pm

Ooh! I wonder if similar courting tactics to Wood Whites will work in humans?... I have one of those party blowers which unfirls with a loud "quack", so maybe I'll try it on the wife

.... OK... I'll get my coat.

Dave McCormick · Post by **Dave McCormick** » Mon Apr 30, 2007 5:33 pm

Trev Sawyer wrote:Ooh! I wonder if similar courting tactics to Wood Whites will work in humans?... I have one of those party blowers which unfirls with a loud "quack", so maybe I'll try it on the wife

.... OK... I'll get my coat.

Hmmm... OK, lets keep that to a mimimum here or who knows what we will attract.

Anyway, the only mating I have seen is the courtship of small tortoiseshell. Its pritty good. Nothing spectacular though.

Post by **Padfield** » Sat May 12, 2007 6:06 pm

I took this video of wood white courtship today, with my digital camera. It would have been longer but we were run over by a herd of cyclists.

http://www.guypadfield.com/movies/sinapiscourtship.wmv

Guy

PS - I have my media player set to loop, so short films like this keep replaying.

Dave McCormick · Post by **Dave McCormick** » Sat May 12, 2007 6:35 pm

I have taken many mating videos and watching them gives me the chance to see things that I may not have seen stright away. Thanks for that Guy, pritty intresting. It could take a few hours of this before something happens.