Ladybugs Flying Free at Magnolia

Hundreds of smiling children will scatter throughout Magnolia Plantation and Gardens on Saturday, July 23 to launch 150,000 ladybugs skyward during the Lowcountry’s largest release of the environmentally friendly insect.
The Third Annual Ladybug Release will begin at 9 a.m. An hour later, a red Volkswagen beetle, resembling a gigantic ladybug, will arrive to signal the time when children receive containers of ladybugs. The event ends at 2 p.m.
Children dressed in ladybug costumes will vie for prizes during a costume contest. Categories will be children under two, three to six and seven and older. Face painting, storytelling and other interactive activities are planned.
Car pooling and early arrival are encouraged. General garden admission is required to participate. Adult admission is $15 and children six to 12 is $10. Children under six are free. To expedite entry into the gardens a cash only table will be placed at the ticket booth.
Ladybugs are natural predators to harmful insects such as aphids, scale insects and other smaller insects, Chris Smith, Magnolia’s Nature Center director, said.
Karen Lucht, Magnolia’s special events and festival coordinator, said this year’s event will feature a larger number of nature displays and interactive demonstrations.
Magnolia Plantation & Gardens is located at 3550 Ashley River Road.