Tuesday, February 28, 2006

I Smell Mealybugs!!!

As proof of how amazing dogs are, the ISW offers you this MSNBC article about a dog team that is assisting California vineyard owners by sniffing out mealybug-infested grape vines. The vine mealybug (Planococcus ficus), native to the Middle East, is a relatively new insect pest in California, having arrived there in the mid-1990s. Interested readers will also want to check out this article from the magazine of Agricultural Research Service.

Thanks to Bob C. for sending in a link to the story and information about the vine mealybug.

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