Female Bug Feeds Male During Sex

Discovery Channel ^ | July 27, 2003 EDT

[demlosers]

July 24, 2003 — A newly discovered Australian river bug offers food to her male partner during their four-day sex session, a "nuptial gift" that biologists said is extraordinary in the animal kingdom.

The female Zeus beetle, a semi-aquatic insect known by its Latin name of Phoreticovelia disparate, exudes tasty secretions from glands on her back on which the male partner feasts during their lengthy coitus.

Nor is it just a light snack, said the Swedish-Australian experts who have delved into the torrid lives of these creatures.

A typical male consumes daily secretions that are equivalent to several percent of his body weight — rather like polishing off a pizza, a bottle of champagne and a box of chocolates between bouts of lovemaking.

The female's gift is highly unusual in evolutionary terms.

Across the animal world, it is traditionally the male who brings food offerings to the female as part of the courtship ritual or during mating.

The theory behind this is that "nuptial gifts" make evolutionary sense: by making the female stronger and healthier with the food, the male is investing in his unborn offspring.

But this argument is unlikely to hold true in the case of female gifts, the authors said.

In the case of the Zeus beetle, the food may be a simple act of survival — to prevent the female from being gobbled up by the starving male after sex.

"Our results indicate that female gift giving is not necessary to ensure a regular sperm supply," the authors said. "Instead, it may have evolved to reduce costs imposed by males, in the form of cannibalism, kleptoparasitism and other forms of interference."

If so, the findings are remarkably appropriate. The beetles are named after the Greek god Zeus, who consumed his first wife, Metis.

The study, published on Thursday in the British weekly science journal Nature, was led by Göran Arnqvist of the Department of Animal Ecology at Sweden's University of Uppsala.

[gitmo]

The female Zeus beetle, a semi-aquatic insect known by its Latin name of Phoreticovelia disparate, exudes tasty secretions from glands on her back on which the male partner feasts during their lengthy coitus.

Similar things happen in modern-day hominids.

[sauropod]

As it should be ;-).

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

Bring back the dowry!

[The Radical Capitalist]

"A newly discovered Australian river bug offers food to her male partner during their four-day sex session, a "nuptial gift" that biologists said is extraordinary in the animal kingdom."

Extraordinary? Happens every weekend in my little corner of the biosphere.

Reminds me of another nature special which shed light on the sexual habits of the woodchuck. I'll never forget as the narrator intoned "Constant pestering by the male brings the female into heat." Truer words were never spoken.

[csmusaret]

Maybe the secretions are Viagra not food.

[Lunatic Fringe]

Lucky bugs... food AND sex!

[LiteKeeper]

Now how did that evolve?

[Jeff Chandler]

Everyone knows that a woman who can cook has a better chance of attracting a mate.

[Larry Lucido]

Alright, which Seinfeld episode was it where George Costanza was sneaking in bites of a pastrami sandwich during sex?

A darned good idea, BTW.

[Lazamataz]

"The female Zeus beetle, a semi-aquatic insect known by its Latin name of Phoreticovelia disparate, exudes tasty secretions from glands on her back on which the male partner feasts during their lengthy coitus."

Similar things happen in modern-day hominids.

You think those glands are on the woman's BACK!???!?!?

FLIP HER OVER, MAN! YOU ARE GOING AT IT THE WRONG WAY!!!!

[EGPWS]

July 24, 2003 — A newly discovered Australian river bug offers food to her male partner during their four-day sex session, a "nuptial gift" that biologists said is extraordinary in the animal kingdom.

Four days??? God in his wisdom has chosen the proper ritual for these bugs! Four days...Whew!! I know I'd be hungry AND thirsty!!...let alone tired. I've found three day's to be depleting myseff but FOUR????? (hehe)

[gitmo]

Much better, thank you.

[gcruse]

After Zeus swallowed Metis, he gained some of her powers of wisdom. And since Metis was obviously pregnant with a daughter at the time, it also became the responsibility of Zeus to give birth to their child. Eventually, the wise goddess Athena emerged from her father's head and took her place among the exalted group of Greek deities known as the Olympians.

[EGPWS]

Alright, which Seinfeld episode was it where George Costanza was sneaking in bites of a pastrami sandwich during sex?

Sounds to me like a waste of good bonding time!!

[djf]

You mean all I gotta do to get respect is grow four more legs and live in a river?

[Gumption]

I wish my wife secreted cheesecake ... with graham cracker crust ... and strawberry juice on top, ummmmmmmm.

[djf]

I already got the four-day-coitus thing down.

[The Radical Capitalist]

Calling Dr. Kinsey...