In the APCNWR prairie, native sunflowers (Helianthus spp.) aren’t just pretty faces—they’re a lifeline for local critters. These vibrant blooms are like a prairie buffet and hotel rolled into one, supporting a lively cast of wildlife. Attwater’s prairie chicken, American goldfinches, doves, and quail are just a few of the birds who eat the seeds. Whitetailed deer munch on leaves and seeds, while little mice and rabbits nibble foliage and hide in the sunflower’s shade. But the party doesn’t stop there. Pollinators like bees and butterflies, fly to sunflowers for sweet nectar and pollen. Grasshoppers chomp on leaves, and many butterflies and moths rely on sunflowers as host plants. Even beetles, ants, wasps, and snails get in on the action, sipping sap or bunking in the plant’s nooks. From seeds to shelter, sunflowers are the prairie’s MVPs, keeping Texas wildlife fed, hidden, and thriving. Photo and caption credits: Jean, Texas Master Naturalist
In the APCNWR prairie, native sunflowers (Helianthus spp.) aren’t just pretty faces—they’re a lifeline for local critters. These vibrant blooms are like a prairie buffet and hotel rolled into one, supporting a lively cast of wildlife. Attwater’s prairie chicken, American goldfinches, doves, and quail are just a few of the birds who eat the seeds. Whitetailed deer munch on leaves and seeds, while little mice and rabbits nibble foliage and hide in the sunflower’s shade. But the party doesn’t stop there. Pollinators like bees and butterflies, fly to sunflowers for sweet nectar and pollen. Grasshoppers chomp on leaves, and many butterflies and moths rely on sunflowers as host plants. Even beetles, ants, wasps, and snails get in on the action, sipping sap or bunking in the plant’s nooks. From seeds to shelter, sunflowers are the prairie’s MVPs, keeping Texas wildlife fed, hidden, and thriving. Photo and caption credits: Jean, Texas Master Naturalist
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