In addition, the release of ladybugs provides education and entertainment to the park's visitors. Ladybugs are first packed into matchbox containers, then released inside the perimeter and dispersed throughout the park by visiting children. To encourage newly introduced ladybugs to stay in a home garden, Dugan recommends spraying plants with water before releasing the beetles. When cryptolaemus begin to hatch, they feast on mealybug eggs and adult mealybugs. IPM has proven to be a highly effective means of controlling all kinds of plant pests, including those that attack turf grass, perennials and vegetables.
Beneficial bugs are available through garden catalogs, nurseries and home and garden centers.
Often nurseries and garden centers sell empty boxes that come with ordering and shipping instructions as well as information on preferred release dates for your area. Keep in mind that if you use pesticides in your garden, you'll kill beneficial insects as well as harmful ones. So when you use insecticides, spray only the infested plants, and mix only the amount of spray that you need at that time. Insecticidal soap can be an effective low-toxicity pesticide, but it kills insects indiscriminately. Dormant oils smother insects as they overwinter on trees and shrubs.