CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Not all bugs in the garden are bad bugs.

Some of the beneficial insects include aphid midges, braconid wasps, dragonflies, ground beetles, lacywings, lady bugs, wasps, rove beetles and several varieties of flies. Good bugs eat bad bugs, so you don't need to spray to kill the destructive ones.

To help you identify bugs you want to welcome and the ones you want to chase away, the National Gardening Association publishes photos and general information about bugs. Visit www.garden.org.

Another place for insect identification is www.eartheasy.com/grow_nat_pest_cntrl.htm. The information on natural garden pest control here is good, with photos and tips for natural prevention, as well as nontoxic homemade remedies.

The National Gardening Association lists these four ways to attract beneficial bugs:

1. Provide an accessible source of water. A birdbath with some stones that stick up out of the water to provide easy access for tiny beneficial insects or a periodic sprinkling will work great.

2. Plant flowers to provide pollen for beneficial adults to feed upon. Species such as syrphid flies and parasitic wasps need this for an energy source. Among the better pollen food sources are plants that have umbrella-shaped bloom heads, such as dill, yarrow, tansy and fennel. Other plants to include are those with small daisylike flowers (such as chamomile and feverfew), and other blooming herbs (thyme, oregano, rosemary). If you plant root vegetables, leave a few to go to seed (carrots, radishes, turnips), as their blooms are also favorites of some beneficial insects.

3. Allow some pests to remain as a food source for beneficial insects. Zero pest populations are not sustainable and will leave beneficial bugs with no reason to stay in your garden area. Lady beetles are our friends but they are not philanthropic! They lay eggs on plants with pests present so their babies can have food. No pests ... they move on. Mexican (or tropical) milkweed and gaura are good plants to support a few aphids. The aphid species that these plants attract are not pests of most of our garden and landscape plants. Just remember that it's good to have a few pests around.

4. Avoid pesticides that may damage beneficial insects. This includes both organic and synthetic products. When a situation warrants a spray, select a product with a narrow spectrum of control (such as Bt for caterpillars) to avoid killing other insects. Choose one that breaks down fast when possible (such as insecticidal soap or pyrethrins). Direct the spray only at the plants with the pest problem.

Another suggestion, which I found helpful, is to plant aromatic herbs around your garden. I put pots of them throughout my beds (many can be aggressive growers, so I like them in pots). Many herbs are repulsive to "bad" bugs.

I love greenhouses

Never one to pass up a greenhouse, I stumbled on Barely Able Farm and Greenhouse in Roane County recently. (Daughter's softball game was playing nearby -- I only left the game during warm-up, I swear!) It's on Lick Fork Road near Roane County High School.

I picked up some Mr. Stripey tomato plants, plus a few Better Boys. I nabbed a beautiful rhubarb plant, which made my husband quite happy. He's fond of rhubarb pie.

Another stop, this time on my way back from the Outdoor Classroom at Camp Virgil Tate, landed me at D&S Garden Center on Martins Branch Road between Sissonville and Cross Lanes. Owner Don Kiser has been growing this business (pardon the pun) for years, and he's got some interesting hanging baskets available as well as shrubs, trees and perennials.

I'm going back to get a plant that I think is just beautiful. It's labeled "Calandiva," and with a bit of research, I found it's from the Crassulaceae family, genus Kalanchoe. This plant is a beauty -- and it will work indoors or out. D&S has it for $9.99.

Reach Sara Busse at sara.bu...@wvgazette.com or 304-348-1249.