Mating behavior of Culicoides nubeculosus (Diptera:Ceratopogonidae).

The mating behavior of the biting midge Culicoides nubeculosus (Meigen) was characterized by a number of distinct stages using laboratory-bred insects (48-h-old males and 24- to 48-h-old females). Contact appeared to be required to initiate mating by the male, and most mating attempts involved some degree of female resistance to mate. It is suggested that the female may assess the fitness of the male by the vigor of his response to her unreceptive behavior.