Edited sentence: Acanthoplus discoidalis have a relatively long courtship period, it starts at sunset and is usually completed by sunrise.Females mate once before laying eggs, and then mate and lay eggs in a random order.Information on the species as a crop pest in Namibia.Males are able to discriminate between virgins ans non-virgins and successfully complete more matings with virgins and they transfer their spermatophore more quickly when mating with virgins.Males produce a large sperm pouch and an associated spermatophylax (a body of food given to the female as a nuptial gift) and therefore cannot mate again for some time as they have to grow a new spermartophylax.They are able to defend themselves against predators in an unusual manner by squirting toxic haemolymph (insect blood) out of their bodies.This means that it is advantageous for males to mate with virgins over non-virgins as a higher proportion of the offspring will be their own.Virgins are lighter than non-virgins allowing males to distinguish between virgins and non-virgins by determining their mass of the female when they copulate