about the mural
In honor of the Year of the Rabbit, this mural features the native New England Cottontail (Sylvilagus transitionalis) hopping through floral motifs of pollinator-friendly plants that are native to Massachusetts.
The New England Cottontail is the only wild rabbit native to Massachusetts, yet they have become increasingly rare due to extensive loss of the young forests and shrublands they use as habitats. The vast majority of wild rabbits spotted in Massachusetts are Eastern Cottontails (Sylvilagus floridanus), which were introduced to New England in the late 19th and early 20th century for game.
Throughout the mural you will find flora native to Massachusetts — including wild columbine, beebalm, and New England aster — as well as some of the various local pollinators that depend on these native plants for survival.
The waves that frame the mural allude to Salem’s rich history in maritime trade with China and the East Indies. They’re drawn in a style inspired by Tibetan thangka painting, referencing the work of Robert Beer who was recently featured as part of the exhibit Spirits: Tsherin Sherpa with Robert Beer (Feb. 4 – May 29, 2023) at the Peabody-Essex Museum.
Additionally, in gānzhī (干支), the 60 year cycle known as Stems & Branches, 2023 is guǐmǎo (癸卯) and the year of the Water Rabbit. I’ve apophenicly interpreted it to mean that it’s fine if all my bunnies end up dripping and running from the near-constant rain during the 2023 Salem Arts Festival weekend.
Why Native Plants Matter
Restoring native plant habitat is vital to preserving biodiversity. By creating a native plant garden, each patch of habitat becomes part of a collective effort to nurture and sustain the living landscape for birds and other animals.
Over the past century, urbanization has taken intact, ecologically productive land and fragmented and transformed it with lawns and exotic ornamental plants. The continental U.S. lost a staggering 150 million acres of habitat and farmland to urban sprawl, and that trend isn’t slowing. The modern obsession with highly manicured “perfect” lawns alone has created a green, monoculture carpet across the country that covers over 40 million acres. The human-dominated landscape no longer supports functioning ecosystems, and the remaining isolated natural areas are not large enough to support wildlife.
Native plants are those that occur naturally in a region in which they evolved. They are the ecological basis upon which life depends, including birds and people. Without them and the insects that co-evolved with them, local birds cannot survive. For example, research by the entomologist Doug Tallamy has shown that native oak trees support over 500 species of caterpillars whereas ginkgos, a commonly planted landscape tree from Asia, host only 5 species of caterpillars. When it takes over 6,000 caterpillars to raise one brood of chickadees, that is a significant difference.
Unfortunately, most of the landscaping plants available in nurseries are alien species from other countries. These exotic plants not only sever the food web, but many have become invasive pests, outcompeting native species and degrading habitat in remaining natural areas.
Landscaping choices have meaningful effects on the populations of birds and the insects they need to survive. The bottom line is this—homeowners, landscapers, and local policy makers can benefit birds and other wildlife by simply selecting native plants when making their landscaping decisions.
Plant for Pollinators
- Habitat opportunities abound on every landscape – from window boxes to acres of farms to corporate campuses to utility and roadside corridors – every site can be habitat.
- Utilize plants native to your area (or at the least, non-invasive for your area).
- Utilize the Ecoregional Planting Guides and the Garden Recipe Cards to create or enhance your pollinator garden. Decide among the plant material options – seeds, plugs, plants or a combination.
- Know your soil type and select appropriate plant material.
- Plant in clusters to create a “target’ for pollinators to find.
- Plant for continuous bloom throughout the growing season from spring to fall.
- Select a site that is removed from wind, has at least partial sun, and can provide water.
- Allow material from dead branches and logs remain as nesting sites; reduce mulch to allow patches of bare ground for ground-nesting bees to utilize; consider installing wood nesting blocks for wood-nesting natives.
Reduce or Eliminate the Impact of Pesticides
- Check out the Pesticides Learning Center on the Pollinator Partnership website to learn more about the interactions between pollinators and pesticides!
- Where possible, avoid pest problems in the first place by burying infested plant residues, removing pest habitat, and planting native plants that encourage natural enemies of pests.
- Practice Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
- If you are a farmer or pesticide applicator, check out our Pesticide Education Module.
- If you must use pesticides, read and follow ALL label directions carefully.
Support Local Bees and Beekeepers
- Buying local honey supports the beekeepers in your area.
- If you’re concerned about the number of chemicals use in agriculture, buy organic.
- If you’re concerned about contributions to global carbon emissions, buy local.
Conserve all of our resources; use less and reduce your impact.
- Pollinators are dramatically affected by extremes in weather.
- Climate change puts pressure on native ranges and overwintering sites.
Reach out to others - inform and inspire
- Utilize all the materials available to help you tell the story of pollinators.
- Especially during National Pollinator Week (June 19-25, 2023).
- Tell local and state government officials that you care about pollinator health.
Native Plants in the Mural
- All
- Bees
- Butterflies
- Hummingbirds
- Other Pollinators/Wildlife
Want to introduce more native plants to your yard or garden?
By starting a native pollinator-friendly garden, you can make a significant difference in supporting pollinators, promoting biodiversity, and creating a more sustainable and resilient natural environment.
You can narrow down your search for the best native Northeast plants given your local conditions and goals at the Native Plant Trust's Plant Finder.
Meet the Pollinators
Pollinators are creatures that help plants reproduce by spreading a powdery material called pollen among flowers of the same species. Animals, primarily bees, pollinate a majority of fruits and vegetables (non-grain crops) used in agriculture. Pollinators don’t just help plants; they rely on the rewards plants provide, such as energy-rich nectar and protein-rich pollen, to survive and reproduce.
Bees
Besides European honeybees, there are more than 365 bee species documented in Massachusetts. Adult bees eat nectar; they feed their young a mix of pollen and nectar.
Wasps
Wasps visit flowers to consume energy-rich nectar and sometimes pollen. As predators, wasps spend most of their time looking for insects to feed their young while foraging at flowers.
Butterflies
Butterflies and moths lay eggs on or near the vegetation they eat as caterpillars; these food plants are known as “host plants.” As adults, they consume nectar from flowers and sugar from sap and fruit.
Moths
While butterflies and some moths are busy pollinating during the day, most species of moths take over after dark. Moths are more hairy than butterflies which help in pollination. Moths love tubular blooms which make it easy for them to drink the nectar.
Beetles
The fossil record suggests that beetles were the first pollinators of flowering plants!
Adult beetles feed on pollen and the flower itself. Pollen becomes trapped on their bodies and spreads between flowers.
Flies
Some flies, such as flower flies and bee flies, are important pollinators. They visit flowers to consume pollen and nectar; in the process, sticky pollen becomes attached to their bodies.
Many flies mimic wasps and bees in their shape and coloration, partly so that predators will avoid them.
Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds need a great deal of food to keep energized, so they visit flowers that provide a lot of nectar, such as the cardinal flower. Pollen sticks to the feathers around the bird’s bill and face and is carried to the next flower.
Bats
...but not in MA
Nectar-feeding bats also pollinate plants, but are not typically found in Massachusetts—our native bats are mostly insectivores. The only bats that pollinate in the United States are in the southwest where they feed on agaves and cactus.
