A beetle will be released in the Auckland suburb of Mount Smart on Friday in an effort to control a weed known to gardeners as 'Wandering Willie'.
Landcare Research says the beetle has been imported from south east Brazil and has been extensively tested to ensure it does not have a taste for native plants.
It is about 6mm long and flies from bush to bush.
Entomologists hope it will feast on 'Wandering Willie' - tradescantia - a weed that forms a thick carpet under trees, stifling new undergrowth.
Landcare Research says the beetle will be released in stages throughout the country. It's also hoping to import two other beetles to help target 'Wandering Willie' during different stages of growth.
