| Ladybugs may look pretty but the polka-dotted insects have become a nuisance by invading crops, including some vineyards. To make matters worse, the bugs produce a foul-smelling liquid that can be inadvertently processed along with grapes and taint the aroma and flavour of wine, reports biologynews.net.
Chemists at Iowa State University in Ames , Iowa , say they have identified several compounds that are responsible for the ladybug's noxious odour, 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 last Saturday at the 233rd national meeting of the American Chemical Society.
A growing number of winemakers say that their wines have an abnormal aroma and flavor, known as 'ladybug taint,' that resembles the bug's characteristic odor. Winemakers report that there are more ladybugs in vineyards and on the grapes during harvest. Experts believe that the bugs accidentally become mixed into the juice during processing and fermentation, resulting in inferior wine.
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