Data from: Pre-copulatory reproductive behaviours are preserved in Drosophila melanogaster infected with bacteria

The activation of the immune system upon infection exerts a huge energetic
demand on an individual, likely decreasing available resources for other
vital processes, like reproduction. The factors that determine the
trade-off between defensive and reproductive traits remain poorly
understood. Here, we exploit the experimental tractability of the fruit
fly Drosophila melanogaster to systematically assess the impact of immune
system activation on pre-copulatory reproductive behaviour. Contrary to
expectations, we found that male flies undergoing an immune activation
continue to display high levels of courtship and mating success.
Similarly, immune-challenged female flies remain highly sexually
receptive. By combining behavioural paradigms, a diverse panel of
pathogens and genetic strategies to induce the fly immune system, we show
that pre-copulatory reproductive behaviours are preserved in infected
flies, despite the significant metabolic cost of infection.