Induced defences in kawakawa (Macropiper excelsum): do caterpillars avoid previous leaf damage?

This study examined whether two species of lepidopteran larvae (Cleora scri ptaria and Epiphyas postvittana) were deterred from feeding on the leaves o f kawakawa (Macropiper excelsum) after the leaves had been damaged in three different ways: by larval feeding, using a hole punch or a metal rasp. A h ierarchy of choice experiments was performed in the laboratory, examining t he feeding 'preference' of these insects between undamaged or previously da maged tissue within the same leaf, between different leaves and between dif ferent plants. On no occasion did larvae of either species show a significa nt preference for undamaged or damaged leaves. It is concluded that, on pre sent evidence, kawakawa does not have a system of induced chemical defences which deters the feeding of these two insects.