1964] 
Roth — Reproduction in Cockroaches 
223 
Females that were starved during gestation and fed after partu- 
rition but were not mated again, oviposited in 11-25 days 
(x = 15.5 zb 0.2; fig. 15, bottom). Females starved during 
gestation were exposed to males for 2-4 hours within 2 days after 
parturition and the oocytes of receptive (those that mated) and 
non-receptive individuals were measured. Non-receptive females had 
oocytes that averaged 0.83 zb 0.01 mm. (N = 44) whereas the 
oocytes of receptive females averaged 0.94 zb 0.01 mm. long 
(N = 16). The oocytes were slightly larger in the receptive 
females, but receptivity could not be correlated with the presence 
of yolk in the oocytes of all cases. Females, starved during gestation, 
were exposed to males for 2 - 4 hrs. within 2 days after parturition, 
and those that mated were separated from their partners before a 
spermatophore was transferred, thus insuring that there would be 
no effect of spermatophore stimuli on rate of oocyte development 
(Roth, 1964). After being given food ad libitum , receptive females 
usually oviposited sooner than nonreceptive individuals (fig. 15, top). 
These results suggest that even though yolk was not present in the 
oocytes of many of the receptive females, their endocrine system 
was more active than nonreceptive individuals. 
Effect of starvation and isolation from males on receptivity 
Females that were fed during and after gestation became un- 
receptive if they were isolated from males for several days after 
giving birth (fig. 10). Since receptivity can be correlated with the 
presence of small oocytes, and starvation during gestation or after 
parturition affects the rate of oocyte development, one would expect 
starved females to behave somewhat differently from fed individuals. 
Starved females, whose oocytes develop slightly or not at all, should 
remain receptive for longer periods of isolation from males. The 
receptivity of starved females is shown in figure 16. As found 
previously (fig. 10) there was a marked decline in receptivity, of 
females fed during and after gestation, after 3-6 days of isola- 
tion from males (fig. 16A, lined bars). Females fed during gestation 
but starved after parturition also became nonreceptive with isolation 
but to a lesser extent than the fed group; about 29-36% were 
still receptive after 3-6 days of isolation (fig. 16A, stippled bars). 
About 40% of the females starved during gestation and after 
parturition were receptive (fig. 16B, stippled bars). Even after 5-6 
days of isolation from males, 38% were still receptive. This is to 
be expected since in these females there is little or no oocyte develop- 
