The dynamics of occurrence of target organs in plant populations produces windows of opportunity that directly and indirectly affect the structure of herbivore communities. However, mechanisms that drive herbivore specialization between resource patches are still poorly known. In this study, we tested three hypotheses related to variation in host plant phenology and community structure (i.e., composition, richness, and abundance) of gall‐forming species: (a) plants with early leaf‐flushing in the season will have greater vegetative growth and high contents of secondary chemical compounds; (b) gall‐inducing insect community structure changes among temporary resource patches of the host; and (c) interspecific competition is a probable mechanism that drives gall‐inducing insect community structure on Copaifera langsdorffii. We monitored daily a total of 102 individuals of the super‐host C. langsdorffii from August 2012 to May 2013, to characterize the leaf flushing time of each host plant. The leaf flushing time had a positive relationship with the number of folioles per branch and a negative relationship with branch growth. We sampled a total of 4,906 galls belonging to 24 gall‐inducing insect species from 102 individuals of C. langsdorffii. In spite of some gall‐inducing species presented high abundance on early leaf‐flushing plants, direct and indirect effects of plant phenology on galling insect abundance was species dependent. At the community level, our study revealed that the quality and quantity of plant resources did not affect the richness and abundance of gall‐inducing insects associated with C. langsdorffii. However, the richness and composition of gall‐inducing species varied according to the variation in leaf flushing time of the host plant. The results of null model analysis showed that galls co‐occurrence on C. langsdorffii trees differ more than expected by chance and that interspecific competition can be one potential mechanism structuring this gall‐inducing insect community.

Th e timing of phenological events varies within and among populations, aff ecting the performance of individual plants diff erently. We evaluated the eff ects of relative variation in sprouting time on the display of reproductive events, vegetative growth and herbivory in Copaifera langsdorffi i (Fabaceae). A total of 93 trees of C. langsdorffi i was monitored daily to determine their sprouting time. We collected ten terminal branches of each plant to evaluate vegetative growth, production of defense compounds and insect herbivore damage. Th e sprouting time for the studied population lasted 67 days. Variation in sprouting time did not aff ect the probability of plants to enter the reproductive stage. Plants that entered the reproductive stage showed greater vegetative biomass. Variation in sprouting time had a negative relationship with branch growth and a positive relationship with the number of leafl ets. Leaf phenol concentration did not vary in relation to sprouting time or plant phenology, but herbivory was higher in plants that sprouted later. Th e relationships among plant sprouting time, vegetative development and display of reproductive stage in C. langsdorffi i are discussed. Th e results of this study also suggest that early sprouting prior to the rainy season is a strategy used by C. langsdorffi i to escape herbivores attacks.