Local wildlife populations felt the effects of the drought conditions that existed for most of 2023 in Marion County, according to County Conservation Naturalist Marla Mertz.

Mertz says that many insects and animals in the area are indicators of good water quality, and how healthy the environment is around them. She also stated that 2023 was difficult for insects in the region due to the low level of precipitation received this year. Mertz added that dragonflies and damselflies are two species that indicated the struggles locally, and that issues reflected in insects will impact the bird population in the area as well.

“I do a lot of work with dragonflies and damselflies, and monitor those and of course they all begin in the water and up in the air over a period of a year or two. And those kinds of things, let us know that we’ve got some issues affecting our insect population, which then again it will affect our bird populations. ”

Hear more about the impacts of drought on local wildlife from Marla Mertz on today’s In Touch with South Central Iowa.