Site 11
Bugs, Toads, Turtles & Other Critters!
The prairie land is a buzz with many creatures that fly through the air, crawl around and burrow in the ground, or make homes in the trees. However, what is most important about these diverse organisms is that they provide a fundamental support to the life of the prairie in one of three ways: pollinate plants, provide the basic level of the prairie food chain, and/or help to decompose plant life.
No matter one’s squeamishness, it is extremely important to recognize the importance of bugs, toad, turtles, lizards, and snakes that reside here in the O.W.L.S. area. They do a lot of the hard work to keep the whole eco-system functional.
Without the assistance of pollinators (bees, butterflies, wasps, and moths), all plants that bear fruit and seeds in the park would not propagate. If the trees, grasses, and flowers don’t produce the seeds or fruit that birds and mammals rely upon for their survival, then those organisms will leave the park, and the plant species will stagnate and die.
In the natural cycle of life, flora and fauna do die. When this occurs, there are a variety of arthropods (millipedes, sowbugs, mites and roaches,) earthworms, and flies that feast upon the decaying matter, which “recycles” that matter into the soil. The decomposition of dead matter places nutrients into the earthy loam, which in turn rejuvenates all flora in the park and maintains the food web.
In preventing the park from being overrun by either an overabundance of insects or pesky insects, there are a plethora of critters (toads, frogs, turtles, lizards, assassin bugs, and snakes) that hunt and dine in the grasses before you. These diverse species support the prairie food web in two ways: 1) keeping a natural balance of the bug world, and 2) being a healthy food source for mammals and birds in the park.
Below are a variety of links to help you identify any insect, snake, reptile, and amphibian that you find. Respect these hard workers! We need them for the livelihood of our O.W.L.S. area.