Picture this: you’re sitting on a park bench or a front porch, and you are engrossed in the doings of the squirrels 30 feet in front of you. You aren’t sure what they are up to: bickering, playing, storing away food, or alarming nearby mates of the present danger. Their movements are erratic and don’t make much sense to you, but they seem to be going about their business as usual.
You find yourself wondering what it would be like to be a squirrel, or at least be in their world, where multiple species live in the same tree, and once the sun goes down, it stays dark at night. You might start to reconsider your previous fantasy about the life of ease that wild creatures live with no bills to pay, no homework to complete; they have climatic elements to bear and no grocery store with ready-made food.
A few minutes later you snap out of your squirrel-minded concentration and realize that was the first time all day you weren’t mentally checking things off of your to-do list. The moment passes, and you move on, but the next time you pass that spot you find yourself slowing down, waiting for the common critters to give you a small peep into their lives.
You might think you know absolutely nothing of the natural world or the critters that inhabit it. If you took a few minutes to look outside, you may notice there are more species around you in any given moment than you think. AND you may notice that more often than not there are similar species in a lot of places.
Sure, they may not be the exact same animal, but some will be related and identifiable to you. For example, a gull, most commonly known as a seagull(even though there is not a single species with the name seagull”), is pretty common throughout most of the US, and other countries as well.
The herring gull, the one with pink legs, white feathers on its head, gray feathers atop its wings, and black feathers with white polka dots attached to its rear end, is one of the most common seen seagulls, and is often spotted nowhere near the sea. Now, there are many different species of gulls, but you do not need to know all the finer details to know at that moment you are looking at a gull.
Many people can picture the characteristic orange belly of the American robin, (Turdus migratorius). Yes, let’s all take a collective laugh at the amusing scientific name the robin has been granted, and hope the taxonomists got as much amusement out of it as we did. Often, robins can be seen slurping down a worm that has been flooded out of its underground home after a springtime rain shower.
Other times, one might be seen with sticks, leaves, or other nesting material in its beak, as the females build their nests on tree branches, gutters, or other horizontal surfaces. This nest will then hold 3-5 of the blue or blue-green eggs these birds are so well known for.
If you aren’t looking up, you may be looking down on the ground spying a familiar critter. The image of a snake conjures up fear in the minds of many, but a common garter snake is nonvenomous, timid, and easy to identify. Common garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis) may have slightly different appearances and habitats, depending on the environment where they are found.
Most often, they are found near areas with water such as ponds, streams, and meadows, but can also be found out in open fields and drier areas. If you have ever picked up a garter snake, or been around someone who has, you may be familiar with the smell that exudes from these magnificent slithering creatures, called “musk”.
This none-too-pleasant smelling fluid is released from the snake’s post-anal glands when it is in stressful situations, such as being predated upon or handled by a human. Handling snakes in a manner that keeps you and the snake safe is extremely important. I advise you do your homework on this topic if you plan on picking up a gartner snake, and make sure you are 100% absolutely positive of your species identification. Until then, it is just as valuable to observe with your eyeballs.
As seen in our earlier scenario, another common critter is the squirrel. Woodlands have them, suburbs have them, parks, college campuses, and restaurants with outdoor seating. Household birdwatchers usually make a sport out of trying to keep them away from their bird feeders. And if you have a dog….well, they probably tried to chase a few down in pursuit of their afternoon snack.
Although squirrels are known for their affinity to acorns and hickory nuts, their diet also contains berries, flowers, inner tree bark, and buds. And perhaps, you may want to write a thank you card to a squirrel for planting the seed that sprouted your favorite shade tree. Not all squirrels are created equal though; there are several different species that are typically unimaginatively named for the color of their fur. Keep an eye out and see which kind you have in your area.
Don’t like insects? Let’s start with the one that even people with the most insect phobias might be able to tolerate-the ladybug! This little beetle in the Coccinellidae family can begin to bridge the gap between avoiding insects at all costs, and beginning to be curious about their role in the environment. The ladybug feasts on other insects such as aphids and mites, which in turn benefits the production of crops for humans, as well as forage for other wild species.
With the knowledge of a few common species, you may begin to feel a sense of place in your local environment. You will start to recognize patterns of when or where you see some local species. You may notice behavior patterns or details of their movements that you didn’t before. Or simply even which season of the year you see some species in your neighborhood.
Likewise, you may start to notice that the same species may be present at the next town over, 59 miles, or 100 miles down the road. Even clear across the continent in some cases. I am not trying to imply that species are the same all over the country or the continent, it is actually quite the contrary, North America has an astounding amount of biodiversity to be explored. With a few common critters in your toolbox you are likely to feel a sense of belonging, or calm, or just surprise that you know something in a new area.
Image by Jenna Outwater
Daddy long legs, jumping spiders, stink bugs, the dreaded mosquito, or the craft burglar house mouse, all may bring about thoughts of critters you wish you didn’t know but have no way of totally avoiding if you share this earth with them.
But think about it, without those species you may describe as pests, you would not be able to share the planet with other species that consume these as a food resource such songbirds, owls, foxes, and bats. We share the earth with diverse, awe-inspiring creatures, it’s time to appreciate their existence and enhance ours in the process.
