Late summer tends to bring out larger insects, such as the praying mantis, as well as caterpillars on their way to becoming remarkable butterflies and moths.
In Iowa, summer-like weather clung until the first official day of fall with lower temperatures predicted for the autumnal equinox on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024.
While anecdotally, fewer monarch caterpillars and butterflies were observed in Eastern Iowa compared to previous summers, black swallowtails appear to be holding their own.
Swallowtail caterpillars feed on dill and related plants, such as parsley and Queen Anne’s lace.
See more black swallowtail photos
A black swallowtail butterfly is seen in a previous season in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (photo/Cindy Hadish)
See the differences between monarch and swallowtail caterpillars.
Monarch caterpillars feed exclusively on milkweed, which most gardeners willingly sacrifice, but another caterpillar is considered by some to be a pest. Tomato and tobacco hornworms eat tomato plants and the tomatoes themselves, which can give them a bad reputation.
Still, for those willing to give up a plant or two, the hornworms transition into incredible moths that are often mistaken for hummingbirds: whitelined sphinx moths or hawk moths.
More: Getting buzzed in the garden
A whitelined sphinx hummingbird moth makes a beeline for a Rose of Sharon during a past season in Iowa. (photo/Cindy Hadish)
The praying mantis also has garnered a mixed reputation.
Their prey includes flies, grasshoppers, crickets and other live insects, but they can also prey on beneficial pollinators, such as butterflies and bees, and are said to even be capable of consuming hummingbirds.
Another fascinating facts about praying mantises includes the habit of females to eat their mates.
Read more about the praying mantis and see end-of-summer photos of a hornworm and black swallowtail caterpillar, below:
[…] Read more: Nature Watch: praying mantis, hornworm and swallowtail caterpillar […]