Good Bugs for Your Garden

This charmingly illustrated guide proves that it is possible for a gift book to be as informative as it is lovely. In a succinct yet graceful introduction, Starcher, a gardener and illustrator, notes that ``complete eradication of pests is not a realistic goal, nor is it necessarily a desirable one.'' She explains how to transform the garden ``from a decorative element into a miniature, balanced ecosystem'' by bringing in and attracting many common pesky insects' natural enemies, from pinpoint-sized trichogramma wasps to twig-like praying mantises. Detailed, gently tinted ink-and-watercolor illustrations depict various examples of beneficial predators, parasitoids, pollinators and soil builders, with hand-lettered text describing their physical features, habitats, behaviors and favorite prey. To those intimidated by the ranks of glaring photos and starchy text of most gardener's bug books, Starcher offers an inviting, warm-and-fuzzy alternative that is nonetheless based on acute observation and hard science. (Apr.)