BeneficialActive now (September)
Praying mantis
Mantidae
- When
- Jul–Oct — July, August, September, October. Earlier in the south, later in the north.
- Where to look
- Perennial borders and tall grass; egg cases glued to stems over winter.
- How to know it
- Long green or brown body, triangular head that swivels, and folded raptorial front legs.
- What it does for you
- A generalist predator: it eats pests and beneficials alike, so it is a fine garden inhabitant but not a pest-control plan.
Found in these regions
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Also active in September
PollinatorMay–OctMonarch butterfly
Danaus plexippus
Orange with heavy black veins and a white-spotted black border. The caterpillar is banded yellow, white and black.
What it does in the garden →Photo: Christine Young · CC BY 4.0
PollinatorMay–SepRuby-throated hummingbird
Archilochus colubris
Tiny, iridescent green above; the male has a black-looking throat that flares ruby in the right light.
What it does in the garden →
PollinatorMar–OctHoney bee
Apis mellifera
Golden-brown, banded, furry thorax, and pollen packed onto the hind legs in visible baskets.
What it does in the garden →