CiB1 is a Female!

Yesterday evening, I made a simple copulation test to investigate the sex of CiB1. I caught four wild Coelophora inaequalis and placed the females (spotted and spotless formae) and the males (spotless and spectabilis formae) into separate vials. Firstly, I tested the males with CiB1; I put one spotless male ladybird together in one vial along with well-fed CiB1 and voila!; when they came into contact with each other, the spotless male immediately grabed CiB1 on the back and started beating its antennae on the CiB1's elytra. Afterwards, the male lowered the tip of its abdomen as if it wanted to attach it to the tip of CiB1's abdomen. After the two minute copulation, mating finally took place and I was very sure now that CiB1 was a female. I released the rest of the ladybirds and sticked to the male spotless ladybird. The mating took place for two hours on and off. This morning, I woke up and saw they were still mating lol! (there is a reason for this). I checked the food (aphids) and still they were plenty but seemed like I would have to get some more today. I look forward to getting the eggs for my next observation.



CiB1 (melanic one) is definitely a female!