Local young students celebrated Earth Day and protected the environment by releasing more than 2,000 beneficial bugs into their schoolyard to help local vegetation.

On April 22, students at Chesterbrook Academy Preschool, 325 Lehigh St., Catasauqua, explored a bug’s life in celebration of Earth Day as they released ladybugs throughout the schoolyard and back into the environment on plants, flowers and trees.

Students and teachers were dressed for the occasion in the likeness of ladybugs, wearing red and black clothing, as well as ladybug hats that students made earlier in the week. In addition to the ladybugs, students planted seeds in the school garden and released butterflies they had been nurturing since the caterpillar stage.

Leading up to Earth Day, students learned ladybugs serve as a natural pesticide by feeding on insects that could harm the health of gardens, trees and shrubs.

Chesterbrook Academy Preschool is part of Spring Education Group, a multischool network providing private school education from infant care through high school.

For more information, visit chesterbrookacademy.com.