Mediterranean Cricket
The predicted mating behaviour of Mediterranean Field Cricket (Gryllus bimaculatus) is that the male cricket that has been in solitary treatment, unable to interact with any other crickets will be more aggressive than the male cricket who was able to interact with other male crickets. Therefore, due to the isolation it is hypothesised that it will cause the cricket to be more aggressive toward the other male cricket he is introduced to when there is a female cricket within the enclosure.
Three Mediterranean Field crickets were used in this experiment they were kept in separate enclosures all maintained at room temperature (20°C - 25°C). One male cricket was kept in a glass container alone, the other male cricket was kept in a clear plastic
enclosure with other male crickets where they could interact. The female cricket was kept in a clear plastic enclosure and was able to interact with other females within her enclosure as well. The two crickets housed in the enclosures with other crickets of the same sex were collected via a plastic see through cup and transported to the lab bench station. At the lab bench station the two male crickets were marked with artMinds tempera paint using a Q-tip. The male in isolation was marked in green paint, the male who was able to interact with other males was marked with red paint and the female was not marked. Once at the lab bench station and marked the two males were introduced into the the mating arena first which was a clear hard plastic container with the dimensions 47.4cm x 25.5cm x 21cm. Shortly after the female was introduced into the mating arena with the male crickets. The three crickets were observed and watched to look for any type of interaction that could be deemed as aggressive behaviour, such as antennal fencing and mandible spreading. When aggressive behaviour was observed it was recorded for the duration it occurred within a 15 minute time frame, as well as the level of aggression with a rating from level to 6. After the data was collected from the mating arena the crickets were carefully removed from the arena using a clear plastic cup then were weigh using a scale by the brand Ohaus and series Valor 3000. The crickets were weighed using the method of weighing by difference. The weight of each individual cricket was recorded. Then the crickets were all put back into the same enclosures they were removed from in the beginning of the experiment.
Three Mediterranean Field crickets were used in this experiment they were kept in separate enclosures all maintained at room temperature (20°C - 25°C). One male cricket was kept in a glass container alone, the other male cricket was kept in a clear plastic
enclosure with other male crickets where they could interact. The female cricket was kept in a clear plastic enclosure and was able to interact with other females within her enclosure as well. The two crickets housed in the enclosures with other crickets of the same sex were collected via a plastic see through cup and transported to the lab bench station. At the lab bench station the two male crickets were marked with artMinds tempera paint using a Q-tip. The male in isolation was marked in green paint, the male who was able to interact with other males was marked with red paint and the female was not marked. Once at the lab bench station and marked the two males were introduced into the the mating arena first which was a clear hard plastic container with the dimensions 47.4cm x 25.5cm x 21cm. Shortly after the female was introduced into the mating arena with the male crickets. The three crickets were observed and watched to look for any type of interaction that could be deemed as aggressive behaviour, such as antennal fencing and mandible spreading. When aggressive behaviour was observed it was recorded for the duration it occurred within a 15 minute time frame, as well as the level of aggression with a rating from level to 6. After the data was collected from the mating arena the crickets were carefully removed from the arena using a clear plastic cup then were weigh using a scale by the brand Ohaus and series Valor 3000. The crickets were weighed using the method of weighing by difference. The weight of each individual cricket was recorded. Then the crickets were all put back into the same enclosures they were removed from in the beginning of the experiment.