72,000 Ladybugs Released Inside Mall of America On Earth Day In Place Of Pesticides

http://www.ibtimes.com/72000-ladybugs-released-inside-mall-america-earth-day-place-pesticides-photo-1212811 ^ | April 24 2013 | Rebecka Schumann

[Daffynition]

What sounds like an April Fools’ Day prank was actually intentional -- the Mall of America celebrated Earth Day on Monday by voluntarily releasing 72,000 ladybugs into its indoor shopping facility.

The ladybugs were released in the Minneapolis mall in an effort to protect the large amounts of the mall's greenery, which are usually plagued by aphids.

Mall of America Senior Manager of Environmental Services Lydell Newby told Kare 11 that the bugs take the place of commonly used pesticides to control pests that would otherwise eat away at the mall's tropical plants.

[Artcore]

“My uncle’s home is every late winter/spring. It’s unbelievable. Plagues. Like the window scenes in Amityville Horror.”
____________________________________________________________

Sounds nasty!

Here in the northern Utah, each fall brings the pesky Box Elder Bug.

[mylife]

Hey, It works.

[the OlLine Rebel]

Mind you this infestation problem never occurred in western MD until about 20 years ago.

As for your boxelders, we have some, but the weirdest thing was years ago when we went looking for a new house. ONE house, only one, was INFESTED with them - all around outside of the front door. I have never seen that anywhere else, since, either.

Basically I like ladybugs, but when you go to my uncle’s and our neighboring 2nd house, you’ll get the willies. It’s bizarre.

[C. Edmund Wright]

...yes,indeed! - good catch.

[familyop]

Do ladybugs carry salmonella?

[Artcore]

This year was especially bad for the boxelders out here. Usually they die off in the latter part of fall; this year they were hanging out in people's homes all winter long. Very strange year!

I hear what your saying about ladybugs. A few are fine...even cute, but when there are infestations, that's altogether different.

[CottShop]

that will smwll nice when they begin dying and decomposing-

[CottShop]

[[Ours got “displaced” by those weird Asian ladybug imposters that bite.]]

I heard that the left want to grant them immunity

[TChad]

The swarm became self-aware at 2:14 a.m. Eastern time.

[mlizzy]

Shouldn’t these bugs be renamed to be more gender neutral?

-lol- Personbugs?

[manic4organic]

it works. Green lacewings, trichogramma wasps, praying mantises, beneficial nematodes. dirtdoctor.com is our local guy.

[FreedomPoster]

A Møøse once bit my sister ...

Well it would have, if I had a sister.

[GeronL]

The Food Court was a mess and many of them were stepped on, bloodying up the floors

[GeronL]

I was kidding

[GraceG]

I would have gotten some food put a lady bug in it and demanded that they give me free food and keep repeating until the food kiosk owners started thumping whomever thought this was a good idea...

[Vendome]

Fine by me. I like lady bugs and a reduction on the use of pesticides .

[Salamander]

LOL

[they’re just doing the work that American ladybugs won’t]

[Daffynition]

Asians feast on aphids too.

[Daffynition]

...and end up in the food at the food court.

[Daffynition]