2.4.2. Mating trials
Mating trials were conducted at 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 25 and 30 days post emergence. Observations were initiated 90 minutes prior to the onset of dusk to observe any flies that initiate copulation early. On each mating day, at least …show more content…
Flies were provided with water-soaked cotton and sugar (as a solution dried onto 1-cm squares of porous paper). Flies were checked daily until all had died. Dead flies were removed from the cages daily. Both group and individual trials were repeated twice.
2.6. Statistical analysis:
Reproductive organs of both male (testes & apodeme) and female (ovary) were analysed for each treatment using least squares regression including significance test using LSMeans differences Tukey HSD. Main effects included in the model were age (ordinal), diet treatment (binary), doses of methoprene (ordinal) and their interactions.
Variables with binary outcomes including mating probability was assessed using nominal logistic regression with significance test using likelihood ratio tests (G). Main effects included in the model were age of the flies (continuous), diet (binary) and doses of methoprene treatment (ordinal). Model parameter estimates were inspected to identify simple effects between factor levels.
Copula latency and copula duration were analysed for each treatment using least squares regression including age (continuous), diet (binary) and doses of methoprene treatment (ordinal). For copula latency, values were rank