In Gryllus, mate choice is known to exist in both sexes. Because of the added cost of mate selection, most models assume that mate choice has benefits that outweigh these costs. Gryllus firmus and G. pennsylvanicus have sexually dimorphic cuticular hydrocarbon (CHC) profiles: Males have a relatively homogenous and simple profile, whereas females are more variable, and some individuals resemble the profile of males (“male-like” females). Previous studies have shown that males in captivity exhibit mate choice and prefer females with a more male-like profile, courting and mating with them more promptly. In this study, both species were used to test whether CHC serve as a signal of female fertility and whether females with a male-like CHC profile mate more often in the field. We captured field-mated females, scored their CHC profiles, and used seven highly polymorphic microsatellites to assign paternity to their broods. We report on the number of sires for field-caught females and demonstrate that male-like females are not more fertile and do not mate more often in the field. We also show that the allocation of sperm does not seem to follow a fair raffle: A few males dominate the brood composition of field-caught mated females.
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