Bed bugs use a process called traumatic insemination to reproduce. The male breaks the female’s shell to inject sperm into a cavity called the hemocoel. It travels around the bed bug’s ‘bloodstream’ to the ovaries and fertilizes the eggs. The female will then leave to find another harborage and lay eggs for 6-8 weeks after mating just once.
For those who don’t know.
Evolutionary, what advantage could this possibly hold?
As a whole? Basically none. It’s advantageous for the males though, it’s something that evolved in a context of sexual conflicts (males and females have contradictory evolutionary optima). Here the males advantage is to have a many mates as possible while the female is advantaged by being choosy regarding its mate(s).
Evolution is not always about optimising things for a whole species.
When you’re a shitty little insect it’s easier to knock her up if you merely have to aim for “in her body.”
Peak patriarchy
Meanwhile, mantises:
Him 🙏
Her 💆♂️🔪
I dont get it
Males stab the females with their genetalia (literally stab as there is no opening) and ejaculate into the cavity. Then hopefully it gets carried through the blood stream and ends with successful insemination.
From what I know there is an opening. The males simply don’t use it.
TIL
It’s a violent process
