The insect integument is covered by cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) which provide
protection against environmental stresses, but are also used for communication. Here we …

Highlights•Communication via chemical signals, that is, pheromones, is of pivotal
importance for most insects.•Most insects pheromones evolved from precursor compounds …

Animals are usually expected to avoid mating with relatives (kin avoidance) as incestuous
mating can lead to the expression of inbreeding depression. Yet, theoretical models predict …

Insects display a staggering diversity of mating and social behaviours. Studying these
systems provides insights into a wide range of evolutionary and behavioural questions, such …

Males can produce complex sexual signals, often in different sensory modalities. The
information conveyed by multiple signals, and the degree to which multiple signals interact …

Despite recent progress in elucidating the genetic basis for behavioral variation, the effects
of the developmental environment on the maintenance and generation of behavioral …

Although many theoretical models of male sexual trait evolution assume that sexual
selection is countered by natural selection, direct empirical tests of this assumption are …

Cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) play an essential role in mate recognition in insects but the
form and intensity of sexual selection on CHCs has only been evaluated in a handful of …

Chemical signals in insects have been documented to play an important role in mate
recognition, and divergence in chemical signals can often cause sexual isolation between …

Males can gather information on the risk and intensity of sperm competition from their social
environment. Recent studies have implicated chemosensory cues, for instance cuticular …