Swan Hills welcomed 500 new residents on June 28, but you may not notice them unless you go looking in the right places.
Communities in Bloom (CiB) held a ladybug release beside the community garden with the assistance of some of the local children and their families. Ordered through the Pots ‘n’ Pansies Greenhouses and Garden Center, these ladybugs offer many more benefits than just being “cute as a bug.” Also known as lady beetles or ladybird beetles, these tiny insects are prized amongst farmers and gardeners as voracious hunters that prey on soft-bodied insects, making them an easy and effective method of pest control. They can eat up to 50 aphids in a single day and up to 5000 over their lifetimes. Ladybugs are effective pollinators as well, which is always a helpful trait.
The Ladybugs were kept refrigerated until their release as the cold slows down their metabolisms. Slowing their metabolism helps them to live longer while making them easier to manage until they are ready to get to work. As soon as they’ve warmed up, they’re ready to go, go, go!
After learning some interesting facts about ladybugs, the kids had a great time releasing their new friends to find new homes in the green spaces of Swan Hills.
Welcome to Swan Hills ladybugs!
