We have an additional team working for us 24/7 now to maintain the organic health of our fantastic Paradise Rescued vineyards. From a sustainability perspective, this new team is incredible. Give them a pesticide free organic environment and they go to work for nothing. How good is that – mother nature has teamed up with us!
We have praised this team several times over the last year as they return to our vines and confirm the successful conversion of our organic vineyard. The team is actually a small army – they are our ladybirds! Australia’s leading research organisation CSIRO has now revealed the evolutionary history of ladybirds and why that has made them an organic vigneron’s best friend.
Ladybird beetles’ larvae love eating soft body insects. Ants jealously and aggressively guard these insects as they receive sugary food rewards for their efforts. In order to avoid being killed by ants when going out to lunch, the ladybird larvae have evolved to produce two anti-ant defences: an impregnable woolly coat of wax filaments and glands which secrete defensive chemicals. There are more than 6,000 species of ladybird in existence.
Who needs pesticides when we have ladybirds who can undertake micro chemical warfare on our behalf? A simple natural and organic solution to pest control. PS – all ladybirds welcome in Paradise Rescued, always room on the team for one (thousand) more and no job application required. Thanks guys – keep up the good work!
With thanks to CSIRO Australia http://www.csiro.au/news/Ladybirds.html