By Adam Wolf
When I first started working for Willistown Conservation Trust, I was most excited to see large-scale wildflower meadows in practice. I had long preached the importance of native plants and had planted some in my own yard, but I had yet to see a large-scale example of what could be done. I envisioned them as magical places that would be a birding gold mine. But the species I ended up appreciating were much smaller.
I had never been one to think much about insects. I saw the usual ants, flies, and the occasional moth at night. Occasionally, while out hiking, I would notice an interesting bug that caught my eye, but unless you’re a true nature nerd, you probably don’t go looking for insect species either. But maybe you should.
I went looking for answers at our Hartman Meadow to discover what was using our habitat and what role plantings like this play. Without any formal training or knowledge, I wasn’t expecting to find much, but I was pleasantly surprised. I soon found myself in a meadow buzzing, hopping, and jumping with life, full of new colors and insects I had never seen before.
There were insects like the red milkweed beetle, a bright red, spotted crawler that relies on milkweed to survive, and larger species like the widow skimmer dragonfly, which feeds on mosquitoes, biting flies, and midges. I expected to find a few cool birds, but what I found instead was a complex food web built around insects, all relying on the specialist plants we had planted.
It’s easy to recognize the importance and value of our larger animals and birds; however, it is equally—if not more—important to protect the insects that form the foundation of the food web for all creatures. For those willing to look for these underappreciated insects, there are discoveries to be made every day.
Come visit Hartman Meadow for yourself—you may see something new.
Thank you to Celeste Sheehan (@celestial_images_photography) for sharing these great photos of insects from Hartman Meadow.
