Good Bugs for Your Garden [Hardcover]

Allison Mia Starcher (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 5, 1995

Anyone who gardens knows how snails, aphids, scale insects, and caterpillars can damage vegetables, flowers, shrubs, and trees. But not many of us know that ground beetles eat caterpillars, not plants; that dragonflies feed on mosquitoes; that parasitic wasps prey on tomato hornworms. In this delightful guide to the world of beneficial insects, Starcher, an artist and avid gardener, shows us how to identify the "good guys" and encourage them to reside in our gardens. "Altogether delightful."--Newark Star-Ledger; "A fact-filled, charmingly illustrated guide."--American Bookseller. A GARDEN BOOK CLUB selection.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Starcher, an organic gardener, says good bugs are the ones that are beneficial, their behavior helping control plant-eating insects that otherwise would feed off our gardens. Starcher divides the good bugs into predators, such as the praying mantis and ladybird beetles; parasitoids, such as some species of wasps; pollinators, such as bees; and soil builders, such as earthworms. Color illustrations of each insect in egg, larval, and adult stages are included, along with a list of plants that attract them (such as baby's breath, clover, dill, goldenrod, lavender, parsley, and sunflowers), the insects they feed on, and their habits, habitats, and appearance. George Cohen

Review

"A valuable addition to a gardener's book shelf." -- Los Angeles Times

"Charmingly illustrated guide...informative." -- Publisher's Weekly

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 72 pages
• Publisher: Algonquin Books (January 5, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 156512071X
• ISBN-13: 978-1565120716
• Product Dimensions: 7.3 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #902,461 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Limited in scope but thoroughly delightful., May 4, 2001

By 

"vera_lynn" (Southeastern VA, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Good Bugs for Your Garden (Hardcover)

Though limited in scope, I found this book very informative: Just flipping through it answered a number of niggling questions I've had for years, such as "what is a damsel-fly, anyhow?" and "what WAS that hideous THING???"

Just pulling it off the shelf, you might be tempted to dismiss this book as lightweight: The text scrawls across the page in a handwriting-like typeface, and doodle-sketches of bugs and flowers and scenery run scattershot throughout. The information seems solid, however, and there's a great deal of it.

The bugs covered in this book range from prominent garden bugs, such as ladybugs and bumble bees, to almost undetectable critters, like the trichograma wasp. Overall, they have exactly two things in common: They are somehow beneficial to your yard, and they are prevalent enough that you _might_ have actually seen one!

Entries include a common name, family, and order at the top of the page, a brief introductory comment on the bug or bug family, a color sketch of said bug --frequently with hapless victim-- preferred prey/means by which they do their thing, preferred habitat, and information about how to get said bug to take up permanent residence in your yard. The author often includes personal comments about the bug (why she likes it, curious behaviors, that sort of thing). Additional pictures range from "actual size" sketches to unabashed border doodles.

For me, the most interesting thing about this book was the coverage it gave to (1) larval bugs (yech!) and (2) tips on attracting/maintaining a native population for your yard. I'm not into grubs, but it IS helpful to know which ones I shouldn't be killing. Also, I liked the fact that she did not limit herself to "bugs:" There's things like earthworms and spiders in here too.

The book does have some shortcomings worth mentioning. First, the layout: You'll either love it or hate it. Think highschool biology notes by someone with artistic talent.

Second, the index is, uh, considerably less than comprehensive. Prettymuch limited to common names. If you don't know the particular common name she's using, tough. So don't look for "ladybug," 'cause it's only listed under "ladybird beetle." Last, she generally doesn't mention anything about geographic distribution or preferred climate. (I guess you have to draw the line somewhere.)

Bottom line: I think this is a GREAT introductory book on bugs! It's warm, enthusiastic and friendly, and it doesn't get bogged down trying to show you every little variety of bugs out there. It sticks to bugs you'll probably actually see, which makes it a great book for families with kids. (or unenthusiastic spouses: "Look honey! I know it's got six legs and four eyes, but it eats SLUGS!") ...and personally, I thought the pictures were _great_ --they're half the reason I bought it.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Bugs, Good Book!, March 10, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Good Bugs for Your Garden (Hardcover)

As a beginning gardener, I found this book to be very concise and informative. It was easy reading with colorful illustrations of the adult and nymph insects. Starcher's style of writing reminded me of reading a good friend's "bug diary". A very charming book. I recommend this book to any beginning gardener who has little time for indepth study of garden pests, just the good bugs please!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Attracting predators, November 5, 2003

By 

Lynn Harnett (Marathon, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Good Bugs for Your Garden (Hardcover)

Written and illustrated by Starcher, this charming slim volume is packed with useful information. Each attractively designed page is devoted to an insect, showing in detailed color its larval and adult stages and sometimes its eggs as well as favored habitat. Starcher includes information about how to attract and keep useful predators, lists their favorite prey and shows their actual size. In addition to the beetles, thrips, flies, bees, wasps and more, she includes a chapter on non-insect helpers such as worms, nematodes and spiders.