Although some animals may find the prairie inhospitable, many species feed, nest, and reproduce within the confines of the grassland, taking advantage of the available resources. Plants Over one thousand plant species are known to reside in the Flint Hills, and approximately 525 of these form a diverse mixture on Konza Prairie. Grasses although predominant, represent only 15 percent of the plants species on Konza. Just as grasses dominate Konza Prairie, big bluestem dominates the grasses. Mixed in with big bluestem, or occuring in isolated patches of their own, are populations of Indian grass, switchgrass, and little bluestem.
Plants provide as much as three thousand pounds of forage per acre per year for animals.
Insects Some of the most characteristic grassland insects are aptly named grasshoppers. During most years, about forty species of these herbivores leap and fly around Konza. Grasshoppers can be very abundant at times, making them an excellent meal for a variety of consumers, especially birds and small mammals. Beetles, flies, butterflies, and other insects are also well represented in the grasslands. Amphibians Only twenty-nine species of amphibians and reptiles have been recorded on Konza Prairie.