In the red-bellied toad species, the gift is a soft blanket made of “the” silk that the male weaves from fine threads. Not only does he mate with the female for 9 hours straight, but he also carefully wraps the blanket around “her” to protect her from being eaten by other insects during their intimate time.
The Spanish fly and firefly beetles possess cantharidin, a special gift – a well-known aphrodisiac alkaloid secreted by the male from a small gland in the head. Once the female sees this “dew drop”, she will mate with the male within half an hour. He presents her with a complete package of cantharidin mixed with sperm. This substance coats the eggs, helping to protect their offspring from being preyed upon by other insects.
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Katydid (Photo: photo-trio) |
The gift from tree crickets and katydids is a small pouch filled with sperm. When the female consumes this pouch, she becomes excited and engages in copulation. Remarkably, within two days, a female cricket can mate with multiple males, as she needs to absorb as much sperm as possible to extend her reproductive lifespan. The larger the pouch a male has, the more attention he receives from her. In some cricket species, the sperm pouch can be as large as 20% of the male’s body volume. The Mormon cricket has the largest gift, allowing them the privilege of choosing the most beautiful mates.
The red spider species are dedicated partners. After the blissful encounter with “the beauty,” they become a delicious meal for their… predators. Deep in the African desert, zoologists have also discovered the sagebrush cricket. Males of this species often have ragged membranous wings because they willingly sacrifice themselves to nourish their small partners after mating.
The Bahamas iguana gives no gifts to the female that will bring him happiness. The special offering consists only of gentle bites on the nape and soft nibbles on the back, which make the female irresistibly enamored and ready to submit.
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Flamingo (Photo: nbhtravel.com) |
The most unique belongs to the hedgehog species. Male hedgehogs often… urinate all over their partner before mating. This is not an act of rudeness. A male hedgehog that does not urinate will be rejected by the female. This is because the urine of male hedgehogs contains an aphrodisiac substance. Conversely, male hedgehogs continuously sniff the female’s genitalia. Each breeding season, a male hedgehog mates with dozens of partners.
Finally, the most polite are found among birds. Female penguins in Antarctica welcome males who bring them the most pebbles to build nests, rewarding them with an intense intimate encounter. The flamingos in Lake Tanganyika, Africa, display even greater courtesy. The male spreads his wings, dances with his beak for nearly half an hour, then hurriedly presents a small branch before her. Both are captivated in a seductive dance before indulging in the act of love.
The New World (according to National Geographic, Natural History)
