Abundance of white lace lerp psyllids on understorey and canopy river red gums and relationships with foliar sugars and tannins

1. Trees present herbivorous insects with the greatest diversity of resources any plant growth form. Both ontogeny and shading can alter suitability for arboreal insect herbivores. 2. We conducted a longitudinal study tagged ‘mature’ (>12 months old) Eucalyptus camaldulensis leaves to compare understorey canopy trees leaf senescence-inducing psyllid, Cardiaspina albitextura. quantified sugars tannins as possible predictors nymphal abundance. 3. Canopy hosted double number nymphs leaves. Variation among individual (understorey canopy) was most important source heterogeneity explaining psyllid abundance, although relative age significantly influenced oviposition on The foliar higher than There significant between-tree in total hydrolysable (HTs) condensed (CTs) but not trees. Heterogeneity explained by greater ellagitannins CTs. 4. Shading is detrimental survival both host types, are unlikely explain variation suitability. Vescalagin (an ellagitannin) negatively correlated abundance types.