Feeding and mating behaviour of adult Anthrenus ( Anthrenus ) pimpinellae (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Dermestidae: Megatominae)

Little is known about the feeding and mating habits of most Anthrenus Geoffroy species. In the current study, A . pimpinellae (Fabricius) were offered different flowers and were assessed for degree of interest shown to the different plant species. From the 41 species of plant offered, no interest was shown towards 18 plant species, short-term interest without mating was shown towards 10 plant species, and long-term high interest combined with mating was shown towards 13 plant species. In the wild, specimens could be found on the flowers of eight of these 13 attractive plant species: Aristolochia clematitis L., Crataegus monogyna Jacq., Erigeron annuus (L.) Pers., Euphorbia cyparissias L., Ligustrum vulgare L., Pyracantha coccinea M.Roem., Rosa canina L. and Taraxacum officinale Weber ex F.H. Wigg. Interest in the flowers of Sambucus nigra L. was limited but the beetles spent a lot of time feeding from the surface of the leaves covered with honeydew from the aphid Aphis sambuci Linnaeus, 1758. Males and females were promiscuous, mating preferentially during the morning and under sunny conditions. Mating occurred only on the flowers of preferred species. The implications of promiscuity on aedeagus evolution is discussed.