Courtship and Mating Behaviour in the Fruit Fly Dioxyna Sororcula (Wied.) (Diptera: Tephritidae).

Abstract

The courtship and mating behaviour of Dioxyna sororcula (Wied.) were studied by field observations on the host Callendula officinalis Linn. (Asteraceae). Courtship and mating occurred mainly on the disc of the flower head. The possible use of pheromone by either sex was ruled out because potential mates could not recognize each other beyond a distance of 1.5 cm.