Male beetles up their game when they catch a whiff of competition

Flour beetles exhibit a highly tactile form of courtship in which the male mounts the female and stimulates her, drumming his lower leg along her abdomen until she allows him to mate with her. Such courtship can last for over ten minutes, providing an opportunity for the male to assess the likely sperm competition. However, the male flour beetle will increase his courtship effort and their sperm count if a female smells of other males, according to a study.

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