The missions

Mission: pest controllers

How long? 10 minutes at the beginning of July, 20 minutes in mid July. 
When? Part 1 in early July, part 2 in mid July.
How? Collect leaves in bags, see what has emerged two weeks later and enter results on the website.
Why? Do the number of pest controllers increase with the length of time that the moth has been present in a location?

Mission: alien moth survey

How long? A minute. 
When? Anytime from mid June to late autumn.
How? Make observations and (1) enter records on the website, or (2) use the LeafWatch app for smartphones.
Why? Does the damage caused by the moth increase with the length of time that it has been present in a location?

What is under the tree?

How long? A minute. 
When? When taking part in one of the other missions.
How? Note what is under the tree and enter the results when entering other observations via the website or the smartphone app.
Why? Is the damage caused by the moth or the number of pest controllers affected by the ground cover under the tree?

New for 2012! Mission: bird attacks

How long? A few minutes. 
When? From mid August to mid September.
How? Count the number of leaf mines that have been attacked by birds.
Why? Are the number of bird attacks affected mostly by the length of time that the moth has been present in locality, or the amount of damage on the tree?