Here in North Bend, Washington, we’re lucky to live alongside one of the state’s resident elk herds. If you’ve ever driven through the Snoqualmie Valley at dawn or dusk, you’ve likely seen them — tawny shapes moving in the mist, lounging or grazing in open meadows, or slipping silently back into the trees.

We often think of elk (Roosevelt elk in western Washington and Rocky Mountain elk in eastern parts) as iconic big game animals, keystone grazers, or prey for our large carnivores. But beyond the obvious predator-prey drama, there’s a quieter story unfolding — one that involves the smallest players in our ecosystems: insects.

Much like the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), our forests, river valleys, and mountain slopes here in the Pacific Northwest are shaped by the movements and habits of these animals. Elk interact with insects at multiple levels — from tiny, almost invisible exchanges to landscape-scale effects — forming a complex, largely positive network of relationships that ripple through the entire ecosystem.

micro-level interactions: small-scale relationships with big effects

parasitism as an ecological service

At first glance, parasites like ticks and lice seem like a purely negative burden for elk. But in nature, nothing exists in isolation. These ectoparasites are food for other species. Tiny parasitic wasps, predatory mites, and insectivorous birds such as magpies (Pica hudsonia) and starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) take advantage of these hitchhikers.

This makes elk, quite literally, walking ecosystems. Their bodies become mobile microhabitats, transporting parasite populations across the Snoqualmie Valley and into the foothills, where other species can feed on them or use them to complete their life cycles.

Even biting flies and mosquitoes, which may seem only like pests, have roles in pollination and as food sources for dragonflies, bats, and swallows. In this way, elk indirectly support a variety of organisms through their relationships with insects that live on or around them.

decomposition and nutrient cycling

When an elk dies — whether taken by a mountain lion, struck by a vehicle, or simply reaching the end of its natural life — it sets off a cascade of ecological processes. The body becomes a hub for carrion insects such as blowflies (Calliphoridae), dermestid beetles (Dermestidae), and burying beetles (Nicrophorus spp.).

These insects not only break down tissues but also feed birds (ravens, crows, jays), mammals (bears, coyotes, raccoons), and even amphibians. Nutrients from the carcass seep into the soil, enriching plant growth and indirectly supporting pollinators and other insects down the line.

In this way, even in death, an elk becomes an engine of biodiversity — from maggots to microbes — fertilizing the land that supports the next cycle of life.

macro-level interactions: shaping ecosystems through behavior

Tree. oil painting by Justin Johnson

Raven. oil painting by Justin Johnson

death as catalyst: the insect boom

When an elk dies — especially in remote forested areas — the event sparks an insect population boom. Blowflies arrive within hours, laying eggs in soft tissues. As decay progresses, beetles, ants, and moth larvae move in, each taking advantage of a specific stage of decomposition.

If a cougar caches an elk kill under vegetation, the rate of consumption by large scavengers slows, giving insects more time to colonize the carcass. This “extended window” can allow for greater insect diversity at a single site, creating microhotspots of invertebrate activity in the forest.

the pacific northwest as a living laboratory

While Yellowstone often gets the spotlight for intact predator-prey systems, Washington’s mountain valleys, coastal rainforests, and Cascade foothills are equally fascinating in their complexity. Our elk herds are central players in a vast, interconnected web, shaping plant communities, transporting nutrients, and sustaining insect populations in ways we often overlook.

From the Snoqualmie River floodplains to the mossy understories of the Cascades, these relationships weave together pollination, soil health, decomposition, and nutrient cycling.

toward a holistic view of wildlife ecology

We tend to think of wildlife in isolated categories — elk here, insects there, predators somewhere else — but the truth is much more interconnected. Protecting elk habitat in Washington isn’t just about preserving a charismatic mammal — it’s about safeguarding the whole ecosystem, all the way down to dung beetles, scavenger flies, parasitic wasps, and pollinators that depend on the elk.

As habitat loss, fragmentation, and shifting climate patterns reshape our landscapes, understanding these intricate connections becomes essential. For every elk that steps through the forest or wades through a river, there are countless insects relying on its presence. In turn, those insects feed birds, fertilize plants, and continue the work of life.

It’s all connected. And, as residents of the Pacific Northwest, we’re not just observers — we’re part of this web. Our role is not to stand apart, but to act as stewards and guardians, ensuring these ancient relationships endure for generations to come.

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