Nightly and hourly rates of attraction of flying field crickets, Gryllus integer, to conspecific calling song were studied in an arena placed in the natural habitat of the species in central Texas. Calling of male G. integer in the arena and tape-recorded broadcasts of conspecific song were the sources of cricket song that subsequently attracted flying crickets. Observations were conducted for 10 h from approximately 1.5–2 h past sunset to 3 h past sunrise for 97 nights in 1983 and 1985–1988, using calling males, and for 4 nights in 1988, using taped song. The number of crickets attracted each night varied greatly, significantly more females were attracted, the numbers of males and females attracted decreased near sunrise, and significantly more crickets entered the arena from 2 to 6 h than from 7 to 11 h past sunset. Results are discussed in the context of mating behavior and sexual selection in this and other species.
Sexual selection and speciation in field crickets