I went out to stroll through the garden early one evening when I saw a bright red spot in the garden where there shouldn't be one. I found a volunteer salvia had popped up. I was quite surprised to find this because it has been several years since I have had one of these small red salvias in the garden.
Then I spotted a butterfly on the underside of a hosta bloom. I thought it was taking refuge there because it was getting late and the wind was blowing like crazy. I got my first shot and I wondered why it sat still while I got so close.
When I moved to get a better angle I saw why it didn't fly away. A preying mantis had it.
The mantis continued to eat the butterfly as I continued to try to get better pictures. As macabre as it may seem it was fascinating to watch the mantis gobble it's dinner. 
This garden marauder was only about 3 inches long. Now you see why I chase away the big ones from the hummingbird feeder. They could catch a hummer and devour it too.
Have you found anything unusual in your garden lately?
I knew that a praying mantis would eat a butterfly, but I've never seen one actually do it. So sad, especially with so few butterflies this year. Still, I do love the mantids, and I've been disappointed to see only one in my garden this year. I found so many egg cases this spring I thought for sure the garden would be overrun with them.
ReplyDeleteOh my, Lisa... that is a bit of a drama right enough! Glad I've never seen one of these.
ReplyDeleteNot been in the garden long enough today to look out for the unusual but tonight (its dark just now) I'm watching a hedgehog live via an IR cam - it's feeding and drinking water in my hidden feeding station - such fun as you know from my previous posts :-D
Wishing you a great weekend with more butterfly sightings in the garden and non of the preying mantis this time :-)
Poor butterfly! I hate to see this but yes I guess it is a part of life and nature.
ReplyDeleteOh Lisa
ReplyDeleteIt makes me feel quite sad to see a butterfly being eaten.
I watched a bird devour one the other day, and then I wished I hadn't.
There have been far less butterflies here this summer....I worry :(
Wonderful capture.....it is nature, and we all know it happens.
Shame about the butterfly, but I guess it is the circle of life.
ReplyDeleteThe salvia is very pretty. Always nice when a plant pops up unexpectedly.
Love the unexpected "unusual" surprises! When I ventured out to pick some sweet corn the other afternoon, I was astonished to see a white lily! With 6 blooms! The plant itself was at least 5 feet tall! This from a Easter Lily that was a gift from my son this past spring. I had planted it after it finished blooming and did not expect to see anything until, perhaps, next spring!
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad our beneficial predators won't eat only the "bad" bugs, isn't it? It's sad to see a butterfly go this way, but it's the nature of things. Good capture, by the way.
ReplyDelete