Ladybirds, the source of several well-known superstitions, are thought historically and across some cultures to bring good fortune.
Murdoch University PhD researcher Shovon Chandra Sarkar's has successfully managed to train ladybirds to eat pests, namely, the highly invasive tomato potato psyllid. On its own, the tomato psyllid can cause crop yield losses of more than 50 per cent and can also spread a serious bacterial disease called 'zebra chip' in potato and tomato plants.
Both of these types of ladybirds can be bought by farmers online and Mr Sarkar says they can easily be trained to eat pests. Melbourne University Associate Professor Paul Umina, specialising in sustainable agriculture, says there's a couple of different ways in which farmers can use ladybirds, and other beneficial insects.
Scientists are increasingly turning to methods such as these as alternatives to agrichemicals, which often have reduced effectiveness as they develop resistance over time.