Habitat – Prairie – Discover-Nature

Midwestern Prairie

Grasslands make up the largest habitat in North America and cover about one-quarter of the Earth’s surface. There are many different types of grasslands, each with its own descriptive name. Prairie, found in North America, is from the French word for “meadow;” steppes, found in Asia, is Russian for “flat, grassy plain;” pampas, found in South America, is from Quechua meaning “flat surface;” and veldt, found in Africa, is from Afrikaans meaning “field.” In all of these areas, grasslands are characterized by flat or gently rolling countryside.

From upper left: The African veldt by Cello8, May 2007; Sunrise on the Mongolian steppes by Nicolas Mirguet, Apr 2011; Pampas grasslands, Uruguay, South America by Guilherme Boettcher, May 2010; Nachusa Grasslands, Lee County, Illinois by Justin Meissen, Jul 2007

Prairies in Illinois were formed by the action of glaciers retreating northward at the end of the last ice age. Massive ice fields compacted the soils and flattened the landscape. Many areas retained much of the melting ice in ponds, creeks, and rivers. These provided much needed moisture to help establish the new flush of vegetation that moved in as the climate warmed.

White River Prairie, Wisconsin by Joshua Mayer, Aug 2016

Several different types of prairies can be found, differentiated by the mixture of grasses and flowering plants, called forbs. We classify prairies as wet, mesic, meaning moderately moist, or dry. The determination is made based on how much water is retained in soil layers, but can be greatly influenced by temperature, rainfall amounts, and fire. Grasses have narrow leaves, can grow in drier environments, and are the dominant plant type in most prairies. Forbs have broad leaves and require more moisture than grasses. Prairie plants often have deep root systems to access water and nutrients.

From upper left: Big Bluestem, Andropogon gerardii by Matt Lavin, Sep 2019; Rattlesnake master, Eryngium yuccifolium by Adam B, Jan 2017; Grey coneflower seed heads, Ratabida pinnata by JanetandPhil, Nov 2010; Frosty Prairie dock, Silphium terebinthinaceum by Anne McCormack, Dec 2010; Indian grass, Sorghastrum nutans by Douglas Mills, Sep 2015

Animals that inhabit midwestern prairies are adapted to this habitat. They are able to find water and food in drier conditions, when water is scarce. They avoid the hazards of fire sweeping across the landscape. They keep warm during cold winter months. They avoid predators in a landscape with few hiding spaces. Many species are able to burrow underground for warmth, to avoid fire, and to escape predators. Others live near the ground in thicker vegetation that provides cover from wind, cold, and attack.

From upper left: American toad, Bufo americanus by Alan Huett, Jul 2008; Sedge wren, Cistothorus platensis by Joshua Mayer, Jul 2015; Thirteen-lined ground squirrel, Spermophilus tridecemlineatus by ChristaR., Nov 2016; Prairie kingsnake, Lampropeltis calligaster by Peter Paplanus, May 2022; Northern harrier, Circus hudsonius by Wendy Miller, Dec 2010

At this time of year, prairie plants are starting to go dormant and many bird species are migrating southward to warmer climates where food and water is abundant. It is a great time to get out and observe plants as they set seed and surprise us with the many hues of autumn. Birds are abundant as flocks fly overhead on their migration. Birds that spend the winter here are searching for areas that will provide seed and cover during the coming cooler months. Other animals are out to gather plants for insulation in their winter dens or seeds to store in their larder. Keep your eyes and ears open as you walk the prairie paths this month.

Midewin tallgrass prairie preserve, Wilmington, IL by CheapShot, Jun 2012

Illinois State Symbols

State use symbols to represent the ideas and objects that are important to the heritage and culture of the people living in each state. Symbols are chosen through a process involving citizens and the government. A person or group does research to describe each symbol and its importance to our state. A bill is created and proposed to the state’s General Assembly, who officially approves it and adds it to state records.

States have a variety of symbols. Massachusetts has the most with 44, and Iowa has the least with only eight. Illinois has 30 symbols, and over the next two blogs, we will explore the 17 that honor the wonders of nature across our state. Many of the Illinois symbols are used by other states signifying their importance across the nation, but at least one is unique to Illinois.

Central Illinois Prairie by Ron Frazier, Jun 2017

Illinois’, known for its tallgrass habitat, is nicknamed is The Prairie State. The land is able to support a great variety of plants in large part due to the richness of the soil. Drummer Silty Clay Loam, first identified in Ford County in 1929, was declared the state soil in 2001. Topsoil across the state is about 16″ deep mainly due to the action of prairie plant roots in breaking down rock and mineral into soil.

Fluorite-galena in Dolostone, Cave-In-Rock, Illinois, by Jsames st. John, Mar 2018

Fluorite-sphalerite near Cave-In-Rock, Illinois by James St. John, May 2017

Rocks and minerals found in our soils are also important. The State Rock, Dolostone, composed of calcium, magnesium, carbon, and oxygen, is found throughout the state. It is mined in northwest Illinois and used in road construction, as erosion barriers on shoreline slopes, and to provide nutrients in fertilizers. The State Mineral is Fluorite, a clear and soft substance that easily melts. It is used in making aluminum, iron , and metal alloys.

Tully Monster, Tullimonstrum gregarium, by James St John, Apr 2019

The State Fossil is the Tully Monster, Tullimonstrum gregarium, first discovered in 1958 by Francis Tully. It had a sleek, tapered body about 12″ long with large fins, and swam in the tropical oceans that covered Illinois during the Pennsylvanian period about 300 million years ago. No other fossils have ever been found outside of Illinois.

Illinois corn, downtown Bloomingdale farmers market, by Gemma Billings, Jul 2010

Agriculture is important to Illinois, generating more than 19 billion dollars annually. Corn is the State Grain, and accounts for more than half of that total. The State Fruit, Gold-rush Apple, was developed in University of Illinois laboratories to grow in habitats across the state. Apple trees generally bear fruit in 5-8 years, but gold-rush apple trees produce fruit after only three years. The fruit becomes ripe very late in autumn, providing a retail source of fresh, crisp fruit long after other fruit sources are finished for the season.

Common milkweed, Asclepias syriaca, by DonArnold; White oak, Quercus alba, by melystu, May 2012; Violets, viola spp. By Samantha Forsburg, May 2009; Big bluestem, Andropogon gerardii by Matt Lavin, Sep 2009

Grasses, flowers, and trees from prairie and woodland habitats are also important. The State Prairie Grass is Big Bluestem, Andropogon gerardii, growing to over 8′ tall with roots extending 5′ to 8′ underground. Nicknamed turkey’s foot for the purplish flowers that appear in groups of three, the grass turns a brilliant bronze in the fall. The State Flower is the Violet, Viola spp., blooming in spring in a variety of colors and habitats. Violets are high in vitamin A and have more vitamin C per ounce than oranges, providing food for many wildlife species including small mammals and birds. The State Wildflower is Milkweed, Asclepias spp., with 24 species native to Illinois. They are a vital source of nectar to feed the pollinators in summer and fall across the state. Our State Tree, the White Oak, Quercus alba, grows best on upland slopes and lives an average of 350-400 years. Settlers fed white-oak acorns to pigs and used its wood to build homes. Oaks support deer, wild turkey, songbirds, insects, squirrels and a host of other wildlife.

Penicillium rubens by Houbraken, J., Frisvad, J.C. & Samson, R.A,

National Center of Agricultural Utilization, Peoria, IL by United States Department of Agriculture

The State Microbe is Penicillium rubens, a mold fungus often found indoors in areas of high humidity. It exhibits a velvety blue or blue-green surface. This symbol was approved on May 31, 2021 to honor the residents of Peoria and the research scientists at the National Center of Agricultural Utilization who worked together on a procedure to mass produce penicillin. Fleming’s strain was discovered in the 1940s to be effective in treating infection in open wounds, and was used extensively to treat Allied soldiers wounded during the Normandy invasion on June 6, 1944. Penicillin has become the most widely used drug in the world.

In part two of our blog on state symbols, we will take a look at the many animals that are honored throughout Illinois.

Summer Pollinator Bloom

It has been a couple of months since I shared a visit in our pollinator garden, and we were in the middle of a warm and wet spring which turned into a hot, dry summer. Now, it is mid-summer and a new set of flowers are in bloom and being heavily visited by a variety of pollinators including bees, wasps, ants and butterflies.

Grey Headed Coneflower, Ratabida pinnata, by DonArnold

Pale Purple Coneflower, Echinacea pallida, by DonArnold

Purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea, by DonArnold

The coneflowers, members of the Aster family, are an easily recognized group of flowers. Grey-headed coneflower, Ratabida pinnata, grows a tall stalk, up to 4′, with a grey/green head of seeds surrounded by bright yellow, drooping rays. From the base of the flower moving upwards, seeds turn brown as they mature and are a favorite food for goldfinch. This species is also known for attracting many beneficial insects such as chalcid wasps, syrphid flies and minute pirate bugs, that keep harmful insects including caterpillars, sawfly larvae and various beetles under control. Purple coneflower, Echinacea purpurea, is a nectar source for monarch, red admiral and swallowtail butterflies. Considered a rare species in northern Illinois, it can grow up to 5′ tall. Flower heads are 2.5″-5″ in diameter composed of up to 20 purple petals surrounding an orange-brown array of disk flowers. A similar species is the pale purple coneflower, Echinacea pallida. Flowers are on single stems up to 3′ tall with pale purple petals that are skinnier and droopier than the purple coneflower. The center of the flower head is a dark brown array of disk flowers. More commonly found than purple coneflower, this plant is visited by a much greater variety of butterflies including American Lady, Red Admiral, Great Spangled Fritillary and Baltimore Checkerspot.

Black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta, by DonArnold

The black-eyed Susan, Rudbeckia hirta, is another member of the Aster family. Flowers are on single stalks growing to 3.5′ tall and are 2″-3″ wide with a dark brown, button-like central disk surrounded by 8-20 yellow, ray flowers. Historically, a tea was made from the leaves for treatment of common cold symptoms, and flower petals made be used to make yellow dyes. The plant is a food source for almost four dozen bee species in our area, providing both pollen and nectar. In addition, many species of wasps, beetles, true bugs and butterflies also feed on this plant.

Buttonbush, Cephalanthus occidentalis, by DonArnold

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail on Buttonbush, by DonArnold

Buttonbush, Cephalanthus occidentalis, a shrub commonly found in wet areas, hosts more than two dozen bird species in addition to bees, true bugs and butterflies. This shrub can grow from 3′ to more than 12′ tall, and likes moist to permanently wet soils. Flower heads appear as bristly balls on stalks attached to the main stem at the junction of leaf stalks. Each flower structure is about 1″ in diameter containing a nut-like fruit that stays on the shrub through most of the winter, providing a great food source for non-migrating native birds.

Common Ironweed, Vernonia fasciculata, by DonArnold

Common ironweed, Vernonia fasciculata, grows up to 6′ high and offers both nectar and pollen for insects. Flower heads form a dense cluster at the top of each stalk and are composed of 15-25 brightly colored purple disk flowers. Bees are able to see in the ultra-violet ranges, and the outer surface of the flowers reflect ultra-violet light, while the inner surfaces absorb it. This contrast makes the flower easy to locate for bees. Seeds are fluffy, brown and wind-dispersed. This plant is a host species for American Painted Lady butterflies and several additional butterflies that regularly visit for nectar including Easter Tiger Swallowtail, Monarch and Pearl Crescent.

Cardinal flower, Lobelia cardinalis, by DonArnold

The Cardinal flower, Lobelia cardinalis, provides a colorful contrast to some of the other plants at this time of year. An uncommon species, possibly due to its intolerance of areas with road salt, it can be found growing wild in woodlands, typically along stream beds. It is regularly visited by the Ruby-throated Hummingbird and Pipevine Swallowtail butterfly. The flowers are a brilliant red arranged in a long column from the top of the stem downward. These species will make a wonderful addition to any pollinator or perennial garden.