PERFORMANCE OF SYMYDOBIUS-AMERICANUS (HOMOPTERA, APHIDIDAE) ON PAPER BIRCH GRAZED BY CATERPILLARS

1. The potential for host plant-mediated interactions between leaf-che wers and the aphid Symydobius americanus on paper birch (Betula papyri fera) was investigated experimentally. 2. Datana ministra and Malacoso ma disstria caterpillars were caged on randomly chosen, undamaged bran ches until they had eaten 30-50% of the leaf area. Control branches re ceived cages but no larvae. 3. Alates of S.americanus were than caged on the experimental and control branches to assess the effect of chewi ng damage on colony performance. 4. Chewing damage had no detectable e ffect on initiation of alate reproduction, development time, mortality of nymphs or colony growth rate.