Beautification Commission to release 1,500 ladybugs in downtown Fairfield

FAIRFIELD – The Fairfield Beautification Commission will release 1,500 ladybugs in downtown Fairfield on Friday night, June 6.

Beautification Commission Chair Deborah Williamson said the ladybugs will be released during Fairfield First Fridays Art Walk, so the public will get to see the tiny critters all take flight. The commission is doing this to combat aphids, which terrorized milkweed and petunias in the hanging baskets last year.

“The hanging baskets had to be taken down prematurely,” Williamson said. “This year, we plan to release enough ladybugs to prevent that from happening.”

Williamson explained that one ladybug can consume 1,000 aphids over its lifetime. She said she got the idea to do a ladybug release after observing one at her great-granddaughter’s birthday party.

“She loves to garden, and one of her gifts was a ladybug release,” Williamson said.

Williamson said commissioners will do a few things to increase the chances of the ladybugs staying in the downtown to eat the aphids, such as watering garden nodes ahead of time, placing a honey-coated stone in the nodes, and releasing them in the evening when they are more likely to rest.

Ladybugs resemble Asian lady beetles, but behave very differently, with Asian lady beetles being aggressive and known to bite humans.

“Both ladybugs and Asian lady beetles can bite, but it’s rare for ladybugs to bite,” Williamson said. “While Asian lady beetles are an invasive species in North America, ladybugs are native.”

When asked if the large number of ladybugs might bother art walk go-ers Friday night, Williamson responded, “absolutely not.”

Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com