Tagmating

Posted August 4, 20192 Comments Animal behaviour

Mating damselflies; there’s a lot going on, unseen!

One day, earlier in the summer (on 28th June 19), I came across huge numbers of common blue damselflies (Enallagma cyathigerum) which had emerged from a lake – Felmersham gravel … Continue Reading Mating damselflies; there’s a lot going on, unseen!

Posted October 23, 20185 Comments Animal behaviour

Butterfly love and the perils of mating!

Females butterflies are usually a lot more choosy than males. They produce eggs, and have more resources invested in each one; compared to the millions of tiny sperms that males … Continue Reading Butterfly love and the perils of mating!

Posted September 19, 20182 Comments Animal behaviour

Courtship and Mating in Wood Whites

When I first saw this pair of Wood white butterflies in Spain, I did not realise that they were mating, i.e. in copula, as they were at right angles to each … Continue Reading Courtship and Mating in Wood Whites

Posted September 5, 20172 Comments Animal behaviour

Mating Gatekeepers

It is not unusual to come across mating butterflies, although sometimes copulation takes place well away from where they normally feed or defend territories: for example, in the tree tops … Continue Reading Mating Gatekeepers

Posted July 11, 2017 Animal behaviour

Mating Blue-tailed Damselflies

When damselflies mate, the male grasps the female by the front end of her thorax (the pronotum); but only if she is willing! Accepting his advance is not compulsory according … Continue Reading Mating Blue-tailed Damselflies

Posted January 10, 20172 Comments Animal behaviour

Tigers mating

The Plain Tiger, Danaus chrysippus (Linnaeus, 1758), is a butterfly with an enormous distribution – from West Africa to New Zealand (1, 2). There are a large number of different forms or … Continue Reading Tigers mating