The City of Regina handed out ladybugs and a brand new insect to battle aphids.

The City handed out over 200,000 ladybugs and over 60,000 green lacewings eggs to hundreds of kids to spread across the City and Victoria Park.

Russell Erich, the manager of open space services with the City of Regina, said that releasing the insects is a great pesticide-free way of controlling aphids and a way to teach kids as well.

“We are under a lot of pressure to change our tactics in terms of pest control and these are great biological ways without having to bring out the big guns,” he said. “This is a good way (for kids) to learn that the environment is here, there are good insects and bad insects, some help us, some not so much. This is just a great to talk about it.”

Erich says that the green lacewings are aggressive in eating aphids which should also help.

“It is very aggressive in its larval form for eating aphids, so we are going to let the kids take those home, put them in their gardens and hopefully, that will help them get it a little more spread around the City.”

The ladybug event was started in 2017 but was postponed for two years due to the pandemic.

Erich said it was fantastic to return and see all of the kids learn and parents enjoy themselves.