A Comparative Study on Mating Behaviour between the B Biotype and a non-B Biotype of Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) from Zhejiang, China

摘要

The objective of this study was to derive a description of the mating behaviour of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci, and to compare this behaviour between the notorious invasive B biotype and a native non-B biotype of the insect from Zhejiang, China. We first did a crossing experiment between the two biotypes, and then conducted observations on the various components of their mating behaviour by continuous recording with video cameras. Reciprocal crossing trials between the two biotypes resulted in no female progeny and thus demonstrated no compatibility in reproduction between them. The whole process of mating could be described as three consecutive phases: male search for female, courtship, and copulation. In both biotypes, successful mating could be completed as early as 4–6 h after emergence and over half the individuals completed their first mating in the first 12 h. The frequency of mating in the B biotype was marginally higher than that in ZHJ1. Moreover, the frequency of mating by females in the B biotype increased by nearly three times when an extra male of the same biotype was added, while addition of an extra male in the ZHJ1 did not result in an increase of mating frequency. These results indicate that individuals of the B biotype have a stronger propensity to mate than that of ZHJ1when the proportion of males in a colony is increased. The stronger propensity and ability for mating in the B biotype may be an advantage in its reproductive competition and interference with non-B biotypes of this insect.