Last week the Greening Queens Library initiative received our beneficial insects for release into our gardens. We released ladybugs into our learning garden at the Broadway Branch Library. Lady beetles are beneficial insects that feast on aphids. Aphids are piercingand sucking pest bugs that can devastate garden plants, especially leafy greens and tender flowers. So releasing ladybugs into a garden is a great way to manage pests. Lady bugs are a specific type of bug known as a beetle. Beetles fall under the category of insects and all insects (including beetles) have three body parts: head, thorax and abdomen. Insects also have six legs, a waterproof exoskeleton and antenna.The life cycle of an insect starts with an egg, which hatches a larva stage baby insects which eats a lot and grows very fast. After a while the insect goes into a pupae stage (also known as a cocoon or chrysalis for moths and butterflies respectively). Once they emerge from this pupae stage the adult insect lives long enough to mate and lay eggs so the next generation can come to life.