72,000 Ladybugs Released in Mall of America

Usually plant-inhabiting beetles are thought to be pests; so what terrorist would release thousands of them in a mall?  The Mall of America released 72,000 ladybugs (ladybird beetles) in an effort to control aphids infesting the decorative plants growing throughout the mall area.

Interestingly, such pest control solutions do not entirely wipe out the prey species; they can control it down to a manageable level. This is an example of sustainable pest ecology, something we don’t commonly associate with a mall. Mall of America (in Minnesota) is also known for its passive heating system, via enormous skylights.