Entry No. 37 — the Des Moines file — filed under: giant-insects
Big Aluminum Bugs
A local farmer welded giant cast-aluminum insects — including a towering praying mantis — from recycled hog feeders and farm scrap, then planted them on his front lawn with a deadpan placard claiming the three were "trapped and preserved" from a 1913 alien insect invasion of Jasper County. They're visible roadside on private property northwest of Newton, a deeply absurd and delightful piece of rural outsider art.
The story
If you drive northwest out of Newton along N 23rd Ave W, past the firing range of the Izaak Walton League, the rural Iowa landscape breaks form. Planted squarely on a front lawn are three colossal, silver-hued insects—including a towering praying mantis—wrought entirely from agricultural scrap. A local farmer constructed the creatures by cutting, bending, and welding together cast-aluminum hog feeders and discarded machinery components.
What turns the sculptures from clever scrap-metal welding into genuine outsider lore is the backstory planted right beside them. A deadpan placard on the grass claims these giant pests are not art at all, but rather specimens "trapped and preserved" after a 1913 alien insect invasion of Jasper County. It's high-concept Midwestern absurdism: using heavy livestock equipment to document an imaginary intergalactic breach.
What it's like
You will catch the glint of cast aluminum through your windshield well before you reach the property line. Pull off entirely onto the gravel shoulder along N 23rd Ave W and stay on the public side of the ditch. Because this is an active private residence, view and photograph the yard from the roadside—don't step onto the lawn or block the family driveway. Aim for a bright, sunny afternoon when the light glints hard off the metallic exoskeleton, and skip the trip during heavy snowstorms when the pull-off shoulder gets plowed under.
The move: Drive out on IA-14 and pull over to gawk and photograph the oversized aluminum insects from the road — bring a picnic and linger, then loop back into Newton for a stop at the Iowa Speedway or a slice at a local diner, making a half-day "weird Iowa" road trip loop out of it.
📍 Before you go This is someone's actual front yard on N 23rd Ave W, a rural stretch northwest of town just east of the Izaak Walton League grounds — an easy landmark to steer by. The sculptures are sized to be seen from the road, so view and photograph from the shoulder rather than walking up onto the lawn; it's a private home, and the family has been gracious about the steady stream of photo-seekers, so keep it respectful and don't block the driveway. Daylight is essential for the metal to catch the sun, and a clear, snow-free day makes the gravel-shoulder pull-off far easier than in deep winter.
- 📍 Newton
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 1705 N 23rd Ave W, Newton, IA 50208
Hours: Mined 2026-06-07 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Joy the Movie Theater Pig (Capitol II Theatre) — Drive less than two miles into downtown Newton to catch a film alongside Joy, a record-holding mini pig who hangs out in the theater lobby.
- Jasper County Historical Museum — Double down on local metalwork by visiting this museum's collection of more than 70 vintage Maytag washing machines.
- Valle Drive-In — Pair your daytime roadside stop with an outdoor evening double feature at Iowa's oldest running drive-in theater just minutes away.
Good to know
Where are the Big Aluminum Bugs located?
They sit on a private front lawn at 1705 N 23rd Ave W, northwest of Newton and just east of the Izaak Walton League grounds.
Can I walk up to the sculptures to get close-up pictures?
No. The lawn is private property. The home's residents are accustomed to visitors stopping to look, but you should stay on the gravel road shoulder to take photos.
What materials were used to make the insects?
A local farmer welded them using recycled cast-aluminum hog feeders and various pieces of farm scrap.
What is written on the lawn sign?
The deadpan placard states that the three giant insects were trapped and preserved following a 1913 alien insect invasion of Jasper County.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Roadside America · newtondailynews.com · waymarking.com
last checked: 2026-06-07