Fauna
Each animal showcased on the mural holds a small but vital role in their ecosystem. I recommend you look even further than this website to learn the best ways to support the small animals in your area.
Eastern Chipmunk
The Eastern Chipmunk is a small mammal that is common among a variety of biomes, including forests, farmlands, and shrubland. They are omnivores, but eat a heavily herbivorous diet of foraged grains and fruit. To support their ecosystems, chipmunks spread seed and fungi spores. They also serve as prey to many species.
Monarch Butterfly
Monarch Butterflies are a unique species of migratory insect. They therefore have a wide variety of ecosystems they support. As caterpillars, they fee solely on milkweed, which makes them very susceptible to environmental changes. As adults, they feed on pollen from a wide variety of flowers, which makes them vital to pollination across the continent.
Eastern Cottontail
The Eastern Cottontail rabbit is a small mammal that lives in a variety of biomes, but most prefers grasslands. They are herbivores that feed on different species of grass based on the time of year. Fun fact: they are crepuscular, which means that they like to be out and dawn and/or dusk.
Western Honey Bee
Western Honey Bees are hive insects that live in almost any biome as long as they can get their legs on some flowers. They pollinate countless species, making them vital to a multitude of ecosystems. These bees can only sting once, as loss of the stinger kills them.
American Toad
American Toads are amphibians, which means they breathe through their skin and live both on land and in water. They live in meadows and forests, but they prefer freshwater ponds and the surrounding wetlands. They are always stout, but they come in many colors, which can even change based on the environment they are in.