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Related Concept Videos

Mate Choice01:20

Mate Choice

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Mate choice—the decision about whom to mate with—is a type of natural selection, since animals must reproduce to pass down their genes. Mate choice is also called intersexual selection because the behavior occurs between the sexes.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 7, 2026

An Adjustable High-Definition Imaging System for Behavioral Studies of Drosophila Adults
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An Adjustable High-Definition Imaging System for Behavioral Studies of Drosophila Adults

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How flies are flirting on the fly.

Courtney Eichorn1, Michael Hrabar1, Emma C Van Ryn1

  • 1Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 1S6, Canada.

BMC Biology
|February 15, 2017
PubMed
Summary

Male flies recognize mates by detecting specific light flash frequencies produced by female wing movements. This visual system, crucial for reproduction, relies on fast photoreceptor processing, especially in bright conditions.

Keywords:
Flicker fusion frequencyLucilia sericataMate locationVisual mate signalsWing flashes

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Area of Science:

  • Entomology
  • Animal Behavior
  • Sensory Neuroscience

Background:

  • Flies possess complex visual systems, including sexually dimorphic eyes with "bright zones" potentially involved in mate-seeking.
  • The rapid visual processing in flies is thought to support advanced flight capabilities.
  • This study investigates the role of photoreceptor processing speed in fly mate recognition.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify a previously unrecognized visual mate recognition system in the common green bottle fly, Lucilia sericata.
  • To determine if male flies can differentiate between wing flash frequencies of potential mates and rivals.
  • To explore the link between photoreceptor speed, flight ability, and mate recognition.

Main Methods:

  • Video recording of Lucilia sericata wing movements at 15,000 frames per second under direct and diffuse light.
  • Observing male fly attraction to varying light flash frequencies emitted by LEDs, mimicking wing beat frequencies.
  • Analyzing the influence of environmental conditions (e.g., cloudy days) on mating behavior.

Main Results:

  • Wing movements of L. sericata produce distinct light flashes at specific frequencies.
  • Males showed a strong preference for a 178 Hz flash frequency, characteristic of young females, over other frequencies.
  • Males preferred pulsed light at 178 Hz over constant light, indicating a preference for mate-associated signals.

Conclusions:

  • A novel visual mate recognition system in L. sericata relies on sex- and age-specific wing flash frequencies.
  • Fast photoreceptor processing is vital for both agile flight and distinguishing mates from rivals.
  • Flies appear to synchronize mating behavior with environmental conditions that enhance signal visibility, supporting sensory drive theory.