Me or no one else. This seems to be the motto of the male cabbage caterpillar or Pieris brassicae , an insect that lives in Europe and North Africa. During copulation, the male deposits on his beloved an antiaphrodisiac substance, benzyl cyanide, to guarantee his paternity and that no other male approaches his partner . But why does he do it? It doesn't seem logical. It is good though, because females should avoid a weak or sick male. And for the one who fertilizes it is beneficial, because it ensures his paternity; for the female, because she does not feel harassed, and for the other males, because they do not spend their sperm on a couple already fertilized by another. Once the eggs are laid and fertilized, the perfume is removed and the female is free for a new mating.
How is the cabbage caterpillar assured paternity?
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