• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.44 no.4 s.141
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• pp.341-344
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• 2005

Courtship behavior of the sweet potato leaf worm, Aedia leucomelas L. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) was observed under laboratory condition. Behavior of antennal Probing and wing fanning in presence of opposite sex was observed in dark room. Both male and female exhibited similar behavior, fanning wing and raising antenna before male flew toward female. Some of moths began raising antenna 20 minutes into scotophase, and 20 minutes later both sexes started to exhibit spectacular behavior, fanning the wings intermittently in high frequency as if producing sound for attracting opposite sexes. They began mating about one day after emergence and mating activity was peaked from 4 to 6 days after emergence. Multiple mating was observed and the copulation lasted 207 minutes in average. There was an evidence that female emit sexual communication signal and male respond to it, and it seemed that the sound production is possibly a part of the courtship behavior of sweet potato leaf worm.