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WAPELLO COUNTY, IOWA -- As fall descends upon the Heartland, the leaves are beginning to change colors a little early this year.

KTVO visited the Pioneer Ridge Nature Center in Wapello county to talk to a naturalist about the leaves' color change. We learned that the leaves change colors because of the shorter days and the color change prepares the trees to go dormant for the winter.

The leaves turn different colors based on the sugar and waste material in the tree. Brown leaves mean that the tree has more waste material and red leaves signify that the tree has a higher sugar content.

Naturalist Annette Wittrock said she's surprised to see the trees changing colors already.

"I think it's a little early for some of them because it has been dry," Wittrock said. "We've had a little bit of a cold snap, which is going to push them to dormancy."

"We'll probably see the leaves till October but we'll see what happens with the weather. If it stays dry and it gets really cold, they'll probably fall sooner than normal. "

Wittrock said she noticed that many of the birds are already heading south and she has not seen many monarch butterflies.

She said Pioneer Ridge's Wapello County Farmer's market has already shut down for the season because some of the farmers have noticed frost on their tomatoes.