Ladybugs spread their wings in Victoria Park

They say if a ladybug lands on you, it’s a sign of good luck.

In that case, hundreds of kids were very lucky Thursday morning in Victoria Park.

More than 200,000 ladybugs spread their wings into the park, with the City of Regina hoping the ladybugs will help reduce the aphid population in the environment.

Some kids were so excited that they even dressed up as ladybugs.

Russell Eirich, manager of open space services for the City of Regina, said this is definitely a memorable experience for kids.

“We’re going to teach them that this is a very friendly insect, that it’s beneficial for us, and just enjoy it and have a lot of fun,” Eirich said.

“I love ladybugs,” said Felicity, a child who just got her dish of ladybugs. “I just put the ladybugs on the ground.”

Kylar had participated in the release when he was four years old and came back to be a part of the event again.

“I really like ladybugs and I also really like dragonflies,” he said.

Kids each received a small plastic container and then put the ladybugs on trees. The ladybugs were imported from Ontario, and have been kept chilled for the past week.

“You’re going to see it; it’s going to be really exciting,” Eirich said. “We are going to show the kids how to handle the ladybugs, how to get them onto the trees and they are going to be all over their hands.”

The event is a part of the city’s strategy to incorporate natural methods in pest control. One ladybug can eat up to 5,000 aphids in its lifetime.

People could release the bugs at home but in order to keep them alive, it’s best to do it in the morning while it’s cool. The ladybugs can stay in the fridge overnight if necessary.