The habitat and feeding preference of two gastropod mesoherbivore species, Ansates (Helcion) pellucida and Lacuna vincta, inhabiting the kelp Laminaria hyperborea were investigated by studying the distribution, habitat choice and food preference of the herbivores between new and old kelp fronds. Nitrogen content and chemical defence (phlorotannin) level of the kelp fronds were measured in order to determine whether they were correlated with the feeding preference of the herbivores. The habitat choice of Lacuna vincta was correlated with the food preference of this species, while the habitat choice of A. pellucida probably was due to some other factor, e.g. competition or mortality. Ansates pellucida preferred to reside on the old fronds of Laminaria hyperborea, but consumed an equal amount of both tissue types. Lacuna vincta, however, preferred the new Laminaria hyperborea fronds both as habitat and food. There was a large variation in the phlorotannin content among the tissue samples of L. hyperborea. However, there were no overall statistically significant differences in tissue nitrogen or phlorotannin content between the new and the old L. hyperborea fronds.