Although the bison are gone, many other species of animals associated with prairies are in Ohio - and they are still associated with prairies. Part of the assessment of the health of an ecosystem includes a measurement of all the plants and animals in the system. Prairies, wetlands, and other habitats are indicated visually by plants, yet the complete ecosystem includes all the plants and animals. Ducks help indicate a wetland, and meadow larks help indicate a grassland. Animals that are much smaller in size, insects, are also excellent indicators of each of these, and other, habitats.
Insects account for more than one half the species of all living organisms on Earth.
Their diversity, abundance, small size, and the specialized nature of their requirements mean that they are important components of our biological diversity, and they are excellent indicators of the health of our environment. Lepidoptera, butterflies and moths, are ideal ambassadors of the insect world for measuring biological diversity, and for making assessments of the health of specialized habitats. Their abundance means there are many species to measure. They are popular with the general public, and efforts to manage areas for the benefit of Lepidoptera are well-liked. Lepidoptera are closely tied to plant communities, thus their occurrence should be congruent with the visual features, plants, that are obvious with most habitats.