1. The potential for host plant-mediated interactions between leafchewers and the aphid Symydobius americanus on paper birch (Betulu pupyrifera) was investigated experimentally.2. Datana ministra and Malacosoma disstria caterpillars were caged on randomly chosen, undamaged branches until they had eaten 30-50% of the leaf area. Control branches received cages but no larvae.3. Alates of S.americanus were than caged on the experimental and control branches to assess the effect of chewing damage on colony performance.
4.Chewing damage had no detectable effect on initiation of alate reproduction, development time, mortality of nymphs or colony growth rate.
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