Book Review: Texas Bug Book: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The Texas Bug Book is a glossary of the most common pests and beneficials around the garden.

As gardeners , we are face with challenge every time of year to make our vegetable gardens as successful , rewarding and productive as potential . By far , other than utmost weather condition , the biggest challenge I palpate we have is dealing with pests . The dominance of them can make the difference of opinion between a in effect year and a year you quickly want to put behind you .

When it comes to IPM ( integrated blighter direction ) , one of the things I ’ve always said is , “ To shoot down the pest , you must get it on the pest . ” hold good information on which insects are the “ good guy rope ” and which are the “ bad guy ” is central . TheTexas Bug Book : The Good , the Bad , and the Uglyis a great resourcefulness for this project .

The book is written by garden experts Howard Garrett and Malcolm Beck . Mr. Garrett is a landscape architect , plantsman , constituent gardening program radio show host , Dallas Morning Newscolumnist , and renowned speaker system . Mr. Beck is the founder of Garden - Ville Fertilizer Company , writer , and speaker . It want to be mentioned that most of the listed bugs are not determine to Texas , so this book will profit constitutive nurseryman anywhere .

TheTexas Bug Bookis draws on years of observance , pragmatic experience and research using constituent gardening method . The pattern and layout of the book is fairly aboveboard . Rather than grouping the germ listings in various category ( i.e. , beetles , caterpillars , etc . ) , the account book takes a “ glossary ” approach . The listings are alphabetical , so you may quickly blame it up and go the right way to a particular dirt ball .

Each bug is explain by the following :

1 . Common name(s)2 . Scientific name3 . Size4 . Identification5 . Biology and life cycle6 . Habitat7 . Feeding habits8 . Economic importance9 . Natural control10 . Organic control11 . Insight

The photography is striking and attractively done , quite helpful in key the bugs understandably . An occasional Negro - and - snowy illustration make its presence where a photo was n’t available ; and again , most are very well done .

Used almost constantly throughout the book are banknote from the authors – “ A Howard Story ” , and “ A Malcolm Story ” . On one hand , these personal messages and stories made for a nice break from the bug listings and did have honorable information within them . This is something you usually wo n’t get in a stock field guide . On the other hand , they seemed to be a slight wasteful in the sensation that additional bug entries could have been used in those touch .

The book concludes with three appendixes : Beneficial Insects ; develop Organic Roses , Pecan Trees , and Fruit Trees ; and a Basic Organic Program .

TheTexas Bug Bookis a majuscule usher for identifying and organically controlling most of the common insect pests , as well as name the beneficial insects . The note value of age of observations is clearly see in this Holy Scripture , and the authors ’ belief in natural pest control wherever potential is clearly show . It is a must - have for any organic gardener ’s library .

The book is bring out by the University of Texas Press , Austin . It is uncommitted throughAmazon(starting at $ 18 ) , or through theUniversity of Texas Press($20 ) .

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