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About this Species
Much artistic license was taken with the Forest Floor series, and composition often won out over botanical accuracy, However, here are a few of the species Kathryn chose to honour in this painting:
Chipmunk
These small striped rodents are members of the squirrel family, and play an important role in seed dispersal in Pacific Northwest forests. In addition to seeds they consume many different kinds of fungi, including those involved in symbiotic mycorrhizal associations with trees.
Western chipmunks mate and produce a litter only once per year, and rely on a stockpile of food in their burrow over the winter since they do not hibernate.
Anna’s Hummingbird
These resilient hummingbirds are the only BC hummingbird species that does not migrate south in winter. These important pollinators make a 1.5-2” nest in trees and vines and camouflage it with lichen and moss. The males are one of the only northern hummingbirds to sing during courtship.
Red Columbine
These tube-like red and yellow flowers are native to British Columbia and the pacific Northwest. Columbine is pollinated by hummingbirds, bumblebees and other long-tongued insects, and provides a host plant for other insect larvae including butterflies.
Fairy slipper orchid
This tiny pink orchid can be found in wet forested areas in the Pacific Northwest.
All images remain copyright © Kathryn Beals.