Part 1 LINK
Left alone, the male Darkling beetle (Tenebrio molitor) will seek out a female to mate. Invariably the male will mount the female with its head facing the posterior end of the female (above). The male will slowly dismount and remount with its head properly aligned with that of the female (below).
The male will then stroke the female with its antennae and legs. Only then will it attempt to insert its reproductive organ (adeagous) (below, arrowed)…
…into the female’s genital opening to transfer its package of sperms (see videos below).
Mating can take up to 2 minutes before the male moves away.
The female will generally lay hundreds of sticky microscopic eggs LINK.
YC Wee
Singapore
15th September 2016