362 
Psyche 
[September 
Precopulatory behavior of males 
Male Hies searched out female pupae 3 which were suspended on 
silk threads, then hung under them (Fig. 1) until the adult emerged. 
They flew in a characteristic bobbing pattern as they searched for 
pupae hanging under the bottom surfaces of logs. Usually, as they 
flew along the length of the log, they bobbed up until they hit the 
bottom of the log with their front legs, which they carried raised over 
their heads, then flew down and onward. Sometimes they swung 
back and forth from one side of the log to the other as they flew 
along under it. They made frequent darting flights to other objects 
in the vicinity where they occasionally landed and paused. 
Although the bouncing flight appeared erratic, the pattern is prob- 
ably controlled. A male which was confined in a cage which had 
pupae fastened to the roof with long pins was able to touch pupae 
over and over without running into pins. 
The males’ responses to pupae they encountered are listed below 
in order of increasing attention to the pupa. 
1. no change in flight pattern 
2. hover near pupa monmentarily, back off 
3. (often preceded by hovering) touch pupa, back off 
4. touch pupa, stop flying and cling to it, move about under it, 
fly off 
5. same as 4 except end by hanging immobile under pupa with 
ventral side of thorax pressed against the dorsal surface of 
the pupal thorax (Fig. 1) 
Encounters with a given pupa did not always elicit the same reaction, 
even from the same male. 
The males probably used either visual cues or tactile cues from 
their front legs (or both) while locating pupae during bobbing flight. 
The males usually mounted a pupa with their anterior ends at the 
pupa’s anterior end and their longitudinal axes parallel to that of 
the pupa. Without exception, the anterior end of a pupa hung below 
the rest of its body, and this position appeared to be the cue used 
by males in positioning themselves: a pupa which was hung so the 
posterior end was the lowest was repeatedly mounted backwards. 
Males hung persistently only under pupae of females about to 
3 It is possible that the males were actually responding to pharate adults 
still within the pupal cuticle rather than to actual pupae. Observations 
were not made on this point, so the term “pupa” below should not be 
construed to exclude this possibility. 
