Courtship can be a complicated affair, and within the animal kingdom all sorts of methods are employed to attract a mate. Here are seven of the more extraordinary that we might encounter in the UK.
Weirdest mating rituals in the animal kingdom
Leopard slug (Limax maximus)
The leopard slug can grow to almost 20cm long and is widespread in the British Isles, particularly in mixed or deciduous woodland.
When mating, two slugs will suspend themselves from a branch or bough on a thick mucus thread and entwine around one another, as they expose their translucent reproductive organs. They are hermaphrodites, possessing male and female genitalia, and each slug fertilises the other at the culmination of a courtship that can last several hours.
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Brown hare (Lepus europaeus)
For much of the year, the brown hare is shy and secretive, most active after dark and spending daylight tucked up in shallow depressions known as forms.
In early spring, however, caution is superseded by hormones, as the males seek out a mate. They can become so amorous that the females may have to rise on their hind legs to fight them off. The sight of these boxing lagomorphs gives rise to the saying, ‘mad as a March hare’.
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Common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis)
The common cuttlefish is a master of camouflage. Most often seen around southern and western coasts, this mollusc’s skin contains highly specialised cells that can change colour and texture.
During courtship, male cuttlefish will gather and display a vivid, zebra-like pattern in order to attract a mate. The females will respond with colour changes of their own and can even display different patterns on either side of the body to deter unwanted suitors.
Great crested grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
The largest old world grebe species also has one of the most elaborate courtships. In early spring they complete a moult from the comparatively drab winter plumage to the sharp tufts and orange blush of summer.
To solidify their breeding bond, a pair of grebes will perform a mirrored dance. Treading water, they will move to an upright position, bobbing and dancing in unison, all while clutching a frond of weed in their beaks.
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Common zebra spider (Salticus scenicus)
Widespread across England, this small jumping spider is less common in the uplands of Scotland and Wales. Measuring only 5 or 6mm long, the zebra spider is often found near buildings or structure, where they will bask on flat surfaces in direct sunlight.
To attract a female, the male zebra spider performs a dance which features a series of jerky movements while waving his forelegs and mouth parts (known as chelicerae) in a curious, almost hypnotic fashion.
Black grouse (Lyrurus tetrix)
A bird of upland moor and forest, where the mottled brown females are cryptically camouflaged, the male black grouse is, as its name suggests, predominantly blue-black with white flashes on the wings and distinctive red ‘eyebrows’.
In spring, males will gather at a ‘lek’, where they fan their tails to show off the white plumage beneath and posture to one another while delivering an array of calls. The watching females then chose their favoured mate.
Common glow worm (Lampyris noctiluca)
Despite the name, glow worms (one of Britain's weirdest bugs) are actually beetles that may be found on grassland and woodland edges. The females measure between 15 and 25mm long and are flightless, and in order to attract a male (that are smaller but able to fly) they glow.
The female glow worms have photophores in the final few segments of their abdomen that create bioluminescence through a chemical reaction, displaying a greenish glow can last for several hours into the night.
