A gardener found a few dead butterflies in some zinnias, and they decided to turn to r/gardening on Reddit to figure out what was happening.
What's happening?
On Reddit, the original poster shared that, whenever they saw a dead butterfly, they also "found this strange insect inside the flower."
"Does anyone know what this is?" the OP asked. "And if it may be the butterfly murderer?"
"Ambush bug! They are awesome," one commenter replied. "They will grab anything that comes close to them. Butterflies included unfortunately."
When the OP asked if they should remove the bugs, another person responded, "I wouldn't, they kill and eat tons of bugs you don't want. Unfortunately they also get things you want but that's nature for you."
Why does it matter?
A yard full of life feeds pollinators and supports the creatures that may prey on them. But that can still feel discouraging when the victim is a butterfly. Pollinators are essential for many flowers, fruits, and vegetables, so finding them dead may be hard to see.
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At the same time, predatory insects belong to that same network. Their presence can suggest that a garden is actually biodiverse.
A garden with local plants will attract local pollinators that need them to survive into your lawn. It can also save water and maintenance on the back end to maintain, as the plants will be better-suited to local conditions.
What can I do?
Local flowers can offer nectar and shelter, and cutting back on pesticides can help keep the wider insect community from being disrupted.
Smaller steps can still help if redoing an entire lawn feels like too much. And even converting part of a conventional lawn into more diverse planting can make a meaningful difference. Every additional flower can provide more food and potentially create even more biodiversity.
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