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Homosexually Humping Corpse-Eating Beetles Here For A Good Time, Not A Long Time
Defector • • science
Key Points:
- The burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides is known for its elaborate parenting behavior, involving preparing small animal carcasses as nurseries for its offspring by stripping, disemboweling, coating with antimicrobial fluid, and burying the corpse.
- Male burying beetles use two mating tactics: either guarding a carcass and attracting females with pheromones or calling without a carcass, with the choice influenced by time of day and male size.
- Cuticular hydrocarbons on the beetles' exoskeletons serve dual roles in waterproofing and chemical communication, but these functions may conflict, especially under climate change conditions.
- A study by Solène Morelle and colleagues found that higher temperatures caused male beetles to mount other males more frequently, suggesting heat stress affects their sex recognition or mating behavior.
- Same-sex mounting is common among burying beetles even under normal conditions, and while its exact purpose is unclear, it may not significantly impact reproductive success or energy expenditure.
