Determinants of mating success in a lek‐mating species

Abstract Leks are male‐biased aggregations formed for mating, where sperm is the only resource acquired by visiting females. One of the many advantages of leks is the possibility to efficiently assess the quality of potential mates by comparing aggregated individuals of the same sex with one another. When direct mate choice occurs in a lekking species, it is often exhibited by females, but some studies have also demonstrated the presence of male mate choice. We investigate mate choice in the lek‐forming European woodwasp, Sirex noctilio . We determine the importance of age and size as predictors of mating success. We demonstrate that mating is not random and that male and female traits affect mating success. Age plays an important role in mating success in both males and females, with older males mating more and younger females being more attractive and more receptive to mating. Relative male size seems to play a role in mating success, with males being more successful when attempting to mate with females that are larger than they are.