During the period of time when a young beetle larvae requires nurturing, the female mother burying beetle (Nicrophorus vespilloides) ensures that male beetles do not get in the way and attempt mating. This is achieved by the female releasing a chemical compound that limits her mate’s urge to breed. The chemical is an anti-aphrodisiac. The purpose is for the male beetle to focus on nest building and assisting the female beetle, rather than on mating.
The female burying beetle, as the name suggests, buries her eggs onto the bodies of small dead animals. For about three days after hatching, larvae require predigested food from the parents. To focus on this activity, neither parent beetle engages in sexual activity. Biologists were curious to find out why. It was discovered that the female beetle exudes a gas during this period, and the gas contains a chemical that leads to the male avoiding mating.
Speaking with Science News, lead author Dr. Sandra Steiger, who works at University of Ulm in Germany, said: “We were surprised to discover such a chemical communication system that helps to resolve — at least in part — conflicts between both parents.” The ecologist added: “Communication plays a key role in effective parental care.”
The chemical has been identified as methyl geranate (which, incidentally, is used by some perfume manufacturers.) It is thought hormonal changes, triggered by the need to care for the larvae, within the female beetle lead to the release of the chemical in gaseous form.
The research into the female beetle and her chemical signaling has been published in the journal Nature Communications. The research paper is titled “A hormone-related female anti-aphrodisiac signals temporary infertility and causes sexual abstinence to synchronize parental care..”
