First Pikmin Game

I just started playing through Pikmin 2, and this is my first Pikmin game that isn't a demo. While in the Bulblax Kingdom I lost 17 pikmin to a orange bulborb, but then went on to beating the dungeon without any more deaths.

It's currently day 13, and I have 50% of the debt recovered and 73 pikmin lost. I would be very thankful if anyone could give me any starting tips, or a sense of weather or not I'm doing terrible. So far I'm loving the game, but I just want a little advice on how to make it more enjoyable. Thanks a lot.