It was a beautiful day in the yard yesterday. We had company and had a nice walk and smelled all the good smells, kudzu and herbs. We went to get a few muscadines (scuppernogs) and found this fine fellow. I should say lady as this is a beautiful, gravid female. Then we went looking for caterpillars and found this fat beauty. He is a spicebush swallowtail, a common butterfly here in the South. He has scary false eyes to keep away predators. Then we came upon a gulf frittilary That got us looking for her caterpillars on my passion vines. Just a great day here in the garden.
Amazing, just amazing photos Bethie I thought Praying Manti were green? Is there something I'm missing? The Spicebush Swallowtail caterpillar is cute, but if I were a predator the false eyes may freak me out a bit alright. What a wonderful world we live in. I mean just look at the variety presented in the above photos. Just wonderful.
Gardenstew, this is a Chinese mantid. Introduced from China in 1896 as a beneficial insect. It is the largest. A "lifer" for our yard and for us.
Oh your mantis is fantastic and it's sooooo much bigger than other species!!! You have a wonderful variety of insects in your garden Bethie. I always think that swallowtail caterpillars look kind of cute with those big, fake eyes - almost like cartoon characters. Keep the photographs coming as I'm really enjoying them. :-D
Insect pics I LOVE LOVE LOVE the butterfly but have to say.. you are a BRAVE woman hahah... for letting that other thing crawl on you.... I get CREEEEEEEEEPED out by bugs haha... perhaps another reason I haven't gardened much?? LOL.. GREAT pics though!!! What is that other catipillar .. the green one with the yellow eyes?? it's cooool looking... we get those red spiney ones down here and they CREEEEP me out ACK!!! lol... I'm such a girly girl hahah..
