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Aedeagus: the male organ of insects used to transfer sperm.
Antennae: the long, thin structures on the head of some animals that are used to sense surroundings.
Fertilize: when a sperm and an egg join.
Genital opening: the body opening that leads to the reproductive tract.
Reproductive tract: the organs inside a female involved with making offspring.
Sperm: a male gamete, which fuses with the egg during fertilization... more

How Beetles Mate

Beetles mating
A male (top) and a female (bottom) mating.

All beetles reproduce sexually, where the offspring are created by the joining of sperm from the father and eggs from the mother. When a male locates a female, he will usually start to court the female in a very specific way. He quickly strokes his antennae and his front pair of legs on the female's back while crawling on top of her. If the female accepts the male, the male will insert his aedeagus into the female's genital opening and transfer a package of sperm. The sperm are stored in the female's reproductive tract and are used to fertilize eggs that develop. After mating, the male leaves the female and does not give any help in raising the offspring. The female will later lay the eggs that the male has fertilized, and the new individual begins its life.

Read more about: How Do Beetles Reproduce?
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https://askabiologist.asu.edu/mating

Bibliographic details:

  • Article: Mating
  • Author(s): Dr. Biology
  • Publisher: Arizona State University School of Life Sciences Ask A Biologist
  • Site name: ASU - Ask A Biologist
  • Date published: 17 Dec, 2009
  • Date accessed:
  • Link: https://askabiologist.asu.edu/mating

APA Style

Dr. Biology. (Thu, 12/17/2009 - 15:19). Mating. ASU - Ask A Biologist. Retrieved from https://askabiologist.asu.edu/mating

American Psychological Association. For more info, see http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/10/

Chicago Manual of Style

Dr. Biology. "Mating". ASU - Ask A Biologist. 17 Dec 2009. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/mating

MLA 2017 Style

Dr. Biology. "Mating". ASU - Ask A Biologist. 17 Dec 2009. ASU - Ask A Biologist, Web. https://askabiologist.asu.edu/mating

Modern Language Association, 7th Ed. For more info, see http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/08/
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