Plant-Animal Relationships
A rusty patched bumblebee (Bombus affinis) visiting wild bergamot, (Monarda fistulosa), a native prairie/savanna plant in the mint family. In 2017, the rusty patched bumblebee was the first bumblebee to be listed as federally endangered. Historically, its range was the east coast and upper Midwest. Bumblebees are important pollinators of wildflowers and crops. They are one of the only insects that can perform buzz pollination. "The bee grabs the pollen producing structure of the flower in her jaws and vibrates her wing musculature causing vibrations that dislodge pollen that would have otherwise remained trapped in the flower’s anthers" (Xerces Society). Some natives such as plants in the heath and primrose families and crops like tomatoes, peppers, and blueberries require buzz pollination. Reference photo by USFWS Midwest Region.
Carex pensylvanica, common oak sedge, is an important species in dry mesic and dry woodlands and is a main fuel species. It is clump forming, spreads by rhizomes, and grows about 8 in. tall. Sedges are extremely important for ants. According to Flora of Chicago (Wilhem & Rericha), many ant species nest in their root zones and some disperse their seed. The amount of Carex pensylvanica in an area has been correlated with the diversity and density of native ant species. The dense root zone has consistent soil moisture, meaning stable soil temperature, which is important for ants. Formica subsericea is a larger ant, making it capable of carrying seed around. The seed has an elaiosome, a nutritious fatty appendage, that is eaten by the ant, and in return, the plant gets its seed moved around. This is called myrmecochory! This ant is identified by its pubescence (hairs), silky sheen, and the shape of its petiole (the part that attaches thorax to abdomen).
A female (?) three-toed box turtle eating a mayapple fruit (Podophyllum peltatum). Humans can actually eat these fruits too but make sure they are fully ripe. Unripe fruits are poisonous! 😱 I love seeing patches of mayapples with their umbrella leaves in the spring. They have one or two leaves, and only the two-leaved individuals will flower and fruit that year. Reference photo by Ari Zakroff.
Ants disperse seeds of many spring ephemerals, plants that flower and fruit in early spring before trees leaf out and cast too much shade. This is called myrmecochory. Here is a watercolor painting of the ant Aphaenogaster rudis moving a bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) seed. The ants get a nutritious meal (the white fatty appendage called an elaiosome) and the plant gets its seed moved a couple meters. Reference photos by Ozark Bill (ozarkbill.com) and me.