A pair of English Springer Spaniels called Zinny and Sauvi B have been recruited to hunt down vineyard-destroying bugs in California. The dogs’ acute sense of smell is being used to detect mealybugs, which infect grapevines with a killer virus called leafroll 3.
![[Its hoped the animals and their offspring could replace pesticides in the long term (file image)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/13/00/94021009-14276919-image-a-31_1736728160993.jpg)
A study in the Lodi wine-growing region, known for its fine Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties, found the pups sniffed out leafroll infections 93.4 per cent of the time and had a 97.3 per cent detection rate for mealybugs. Its hoped the animals and their offspring could replace pesticides in the long term and protect valuable crops from decimation.
![[A study found the pups sniffed out leafroll infections 93.4 per cent of the time and had a 97.3 per cent detection rate for mealybugs (file image)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/13/00/94021003-14276919-image-a-32_1736728171732.jpg)
Dr Stephanie Bolton, of the Lodi Winegrape Commission, told industry magazine Wine Spectator: ‘Dogs have up to 300 million olfactory receptors to humans’ five million. The dogs can smell things that to us as humans have no smell. ‘The canines are rewarded by play - it’s a game to them.’.
![[The dogs’ acute sense of smell is being used to detect mealybugs (pictured), which infect grapevines with a killer virus called leafroll 3]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/13/00/94021011-14276919-image-a-33_1736728181478.jpg)
She said the dogs are likely to improve further with time, making their skills ‘economically feasible and scalable’. ‘This holds great potential for the sustainability of our industry,’ she added. ‘We are not going to get ahead of this challenge if we keep planting infested and infected vines.’.
![[When it passes an infected vine, a dog alerts its handler by sitting down, it is then rewarded with treats (file image)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/13/00/94020995-14276919-image-a-34_1736728187730.jpg)
A pair of Springer Spaniels have been recruited to hunt down vineyard-destroying bugs in California. Pictured: Woman with dog tasting pink wine in vineyard. Its hoped the animals and their offspring could replace pesticides in the long term (file image).
