Objective:
Search populations of P. aculeata for geometrids.

Approach:
¿ Focus searches on warmer semi-arid areas that match target climates in Australia. ¿ Collect young living plants of P. aculeata for growing at the Hurlingham laboratory. ¿ Transport living geometrid specimen to the Hurlingham laboratory. ¿ Rear the specimens to adult. ¿ Initiate a lab colony on the living plants of P. aculeata. ¿ Collect data on life cycle and basic biology. ¿ Compile a list of related species that could be collected as young plants and grown in pots in the lab for host specificity testing. ¿ Collect and grow these plants. ¿ Conduct host specificity tests. Use no-choice test design. Attempt to obtain mating and oviposition on test plant species and P. aculeata control and record larval development. ¿ If direct oviposition on plants is not possible, transfer eggs onto leaves of various species and record larval development. ¿ Variations to host testing to be discussed with Dr Tim Heard. ¿ While collecting geometrids, collect, preserve and label other insect herbivores. ¿ If geometrids cannot be found, transfer effort into the survey of other herbivorous species. ¿ If any other species appear promising, attempt rearing and specificity testing within the possibility of the available resources. ¿ Keep herbarium specimens of plants from all sites visited. ¿ Keep data sheets of characteristics of sites visited. ¿ If appropriate, collect geometrids from neighbouring legumes when populations found on P. aculeata.