Feeding selectivity and influence of leaf age of Eucalyptus spp. for Thyrinteina arnobia (Lepidoptera : Geometridae)

Thyrinteina arnobia (Stoll, 1782) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) is considered one of the most serious Eucalyptus pests in Brazil. This work was carried o ut aiming to study feeding preference of T. arnobia and the influence of le af age on the host selection, using young and old leaves of Eucalyptus gran dis, Eucalyptus camaldulensis, Eucalyptus saligna, Eucalyptus citriodora, E ucalyptus robusta e Eucalyptus cloeziana, Caterpillars fed with E. grandis leaves in previous generation, preferred young leaves of E. grandis and E. cloeziana, while caterpillars fed with E. saligna in previous generation pr eferred old leaves of E grandis. The most consumed species was E. grandis, and the caterpillars preferred young leaves than old ones, for all species studied.