Ladybugs may be cute, but don't let them get near the wine vat

Ladybugs may look pretty but they also have a dark side. In some places, the polka-dotted insects have become a nuisance by invading homes and crops, including some vineyards.

To make matters worse, the bugs produce a foul-smelling liquid that, besides irritating homeowners, can be inadvertently processed along with grapes and taint the aroma and flavor of wine.

Now, chemists at Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa, say they have identified several compounds that are responsible for the ladybug’s noxious odor, a finding that could lead to new strategies to detect and eliminate the offensive compounds. Their study, which could lead to better tasting wine, was presented today at the 233rd national meeting of the American Chemical Society.

Their study was summarized over the weekend in a press release issued by the American Chemical Society.

• Go to our home page for extensive coverage of Southern agriculture
• Subscribe to our free reports covering cotton, rice, peanuts and Southern grain