One of the most beneficial insects to have in your garden is the Coccinellidae, otherwise known as the Ladybug or Ladybird.
This animal's name originates during the Middle Ages when it was called "The Beetle of Our Lady", named because early pictures of the Virgin Mary often depicted her wearing a red or pink cloak (although some argue that this is Sophia, otherwise known as "Wisdom", an early Gnostic anthropomorphism of the Holy Ghost.) It was shortened in Europe to "Ladybird", and eventually morphed into the American "Ladybug". We know this bug primarily from its own red cloak, although there are species that have orange or yellow wings.
Ladybugs are beneficial to the garden, as they eat one of the smallest, but most daunting of pests...the aphid. They also eat scale insects and the larvae and eggs of many other types. Aphids are particularly bad for a garden, causing a lot of damage to plants...but worse because ant colonies often herd them like cows directly to your plants in order to get the sugary nectar that Aphids produce (betcha didn't know insects were so like humans!) If you look closely at an aphid infestation, you might see ants actually running up and down the plant as well. Thus, if you have an aphid infestation, you may also have to put down a good ant bait, like TerroAnt (this is the most effective one we've come across that does not harm other insects).
However, Ladybugs also require pollen to eat, and its often best to attract them by having some of these in your garden. Their favorites are buckwheat, cilantro, red clover, and mustard. Also liked by them are fennel, dill, wild carrot, white cosmos, dandelion, and geraniums.
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