Biodiversity in the Dunes

In school I loved studying ecology and the complexity of ecosystems. For as long as I can remember I have always been fascinated with the way animals and plants interacted with one another. Coming to work at Dunes Learning Center has rekindled that curiosity I had as a child. 

Many people would be surprised to find out that the Indiana Dunes National Park is the 4th most biodiverse national park (out of 423 sites). In short, that means we have a lot of cool animals and plants that call this beautiful place home. There are multiple reasons for this: our glacial beginnings, rare ecosystems, migration patterns, and the perfect climate for a lot of species.

In the short time I have lived here, I have already gotten to experience this great biodiversity, and I’m excited to see what winter and spring will bring. Here are some awesome species that you can find in the park.

Prickly Pear Cactus

Did you know there are cactus in Indiana? The prickly pear cactus is Indiana’s only cactus, and it is found in the park. This cactus is edible, and the fruit can be used to make a sweet syrup that is great in lemonade. This is one of my favorite species in the Dunes! They have beautiful yellow flowers that bloom in June/July.

Eastern Hog Nose

This snake has stolen my heart. Hog nose snakes are easily identified by their upturned nose and ability to flatten their head like a cobra. They have a few unique adaptations to keep them safe from predators including pretending to die a dramatic death, “rattling” their tails in leaves, and dry striking (they aren’t venomous to humans). This is the first snake I caught here.

Blue Spotted Salamander

Found in the forests and wetlands, these creatures enjoy moist areas with sandy soils. They are beautiful! I love looking for salamanders with the kids on our hikes through Cowles Bog.

Isabella Tiger Moth

This moth is more common than one would think and is commonly known as the Wooly Worm caterpillar. There’s an old wives tale that the coloring of a wooly determines the type of winter we will have. A bigger brown band means a milder winter, a narrow one, means a cold winter. I love them because they overwinter as caterpillars, freezing and thawing due to a cryoprotectant in their bodies. They also have their own festivals in a few states, including the Woolybear Festival in Vermillion, Ohio.

Ghost Pipe

A non-photosynthesizing plant, meaning it has no chlorophyll (greenery). Ghost pipe is usually completely white because it gets its nutrients by parasitizing tree roots via fungus. It’s a rare plant only found between June-September, a patch will bloom for one week a year, the other 51 weeks it will spend underground.

Bitter Oyster Mushroom

A gem in the dunes. We were night hiking, discussing how neat it would be to find a bioluminescent mushroom on a night hike with kids. When I came across these in the dark, one of the brightest bioluminescent mushrooms in this area. This unassuming tan/orange mushroom is commonly found on decaying logs. It glows neon green, especially the gills of the mushroom.

These are just a few of the cool species I have found in the dunes. I love expanding my knowledge of the natural world around me. I hope this list has inspired you to get out and explore the diversity of the dunes for yourself!

Note: Plants and animals inside Indiana Dunes National Park are protected. Please admire, but do not disturb, anything you may find.

Sierra Necessary

Keramida Naturalist Fellow