Scientists are hoping bushflies may be all but eradicated from Perth and the South-West under a new program to re-introduce dung beetles into the region.
Two European species of beetle, one from France and one from Spain, will be imported from next March.
They will then be gradually introduced to breeding sites in the Peel and Boyup Brook districts.
John Feehan, who once ran the program for CSIRO and now operates an independent consultancy, says it will take time but bushflies will eventually be eradicated:
"Both species will work in early Spring and that's the very time that the bushfly population builds up into their millions so the beetles are just filling a little gap in the year that was not previously filled," he said.
Mr Feehan says it may be a little while before the results become evident.
"Bringing these beetles into Australia they have to go through very strict quarantine system," he said.
"They then have to be mass reared so it may be quite a few years before there is any particular result."
He praised the efforts of Canning MP Don Randall who he said had actively lobbied for the program.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-28/dung-beetles-to-be-reintroduced/3605798
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