Herons are mostly monogamous during a season, and each pair incubates 3-to-6 eggs. In mid-July, fledgling herons begin to leave the nest, learning to fly and feed themselves. This week on Discover Nature, take a trip to a stream or pond near you, and observe the colorful dance of mating dragonflies across the surface of the water. Adult dragonflies have long, slender, often colorful abdomens with robust bodies, large compound eyes, and sometimes spotted patterns on horizontally-outstretched wings.
In mid-summer, watch courting dragonflies fly low over water — often attached to their mates. In-flight, females deposit eggs along the surface of the water.
The common blackberry Rubus allegheniensis grows as a shrub with branches reaching five-feet in height and eight-feet in length and arching high or being supported by surrounding trees or shrubs. The canes, or branches, grow green to reddish in their first year, and develop broad-based, recurved thorns. Commonly seen along the edges of ponds and streams, especially on mud flats and gravel bars, scientists are monitoring Missouri populations due to rapid declines in other states. The northern cricket frog can appear in a variety of colors from gray to tan to greenish-tan or brown, with a white belly.
From tiny ants to bats, birds, bees, and butterflies, we depend on pollinators to produce our food, and protect biodiversity. This week on discover nature, we celebrate national pollinator week. At least species of bees are native to Missouri. For instance, one blueberry bee can visit 50, flowers in its short lifetime, resulting in the production of 6, blueberries.
Western mud snakes and Mississippi green water snakes are found only in the Southeast corner of the state, and the latter is an endangered species of conservation concern. The elderberry shrub Sambucus canadensis can grow to 5 — 12 feet tall, and in late summer, produces clusters of dark, berrylike fruits that feed dozens of bird species and other wildlife.
Black bears mate now through June, but reproductive development pauses for 6-to-7 months, until bears enter hibernation. Mother bears birth litters of two to three cubs in January and February, sometimes while the mother still sleeps. This week on Discover Nature, learn how Missouri boaters can help slow the spread of zebra mussels Dreissena polymorpha. The black locust Robinia pseudoacacia grows in dry or rocky upland woods, along streams, and in pastures, and thickets. A pioneer tree species, black locust easily invades disturbed sites, and some consider it a nuisance species. Spring storms bring the threat of damaging wind, hail, flooding, and erosion, but they also restore life to the landscape — providing nutrients to plants and soil, habitat and drinking-water for wildlife and humans.
Slow and steady wins the race… but when it comes to crossing roads turtles often lose. Spring rains and warm weather trigger turtles to start wandering in search of food and mates, and they often need to cross roads that pass through their home areas. Box turtles commonly live to thirty years old, and can live as along as humans. They spend their quiet lives eating plants, earthworms and insects.
Their greenish-olive to brassy color patterns with dark mottling and large mouths are reminiscent of bass, but goggle eye are all heavy-bodied sunfish species. This week on Discover Nature, we pay special attention to an unwelcome invader: Callery pears, which include the commonly known Bradford pear, are easily identifiable right now: Morels are hollow-stemmed mushrooms, with a somewhat conical cap, covered with definite pits and ridges, resembling a sponge, pinecone, or honeycomb.
Paddlefish are related to sturgeon and sharks and are historically found in the big rivers of our state. This large bluish-gray fish with an elongated paddlelike snout, or rostrum, has no bones in its body, and adults have no teeth. Paddlefish swim slowly through water with their mouths wide open, collecting tiny crustaceans and insects in their elaborate gill-rakers. The lonesome calls of Missouri mornings on the prairie — once produced by hundreds of thousands of birds across our state — now hold the haunting story of a species nearly eliminated from our landscape.
Each spring, male prairie chickens return to breeding grounds, called leks, to perform unique mating rituals. Spring brings new life to the outdoors: The sounds of spring, alone, offer reason to rejoice. Listen for pileated woodpeckers drumming to establish territories, mourning doves cooing from their crop field nests, and the serenade of spring peepers at sunset.
Discover Nature Missouri Department of Conservation. Pawpaw trees — Asimina tribloba — are small, with slender trunks and broad crowns. Missouri Department of Conservation. As we head into the middle of summer, keep an eye out in the woods for ripening blackberries. This week on Discover Nature, watch — and listen — for the northern cricket frog. Their metallic calls resemble the sound of small pebbles being rapidly struck together. Woodchucks, or groundhogs, are considered true.
These large, nocturnal birds occur in deep forests, open areas with small woodlots and sometimes in urban areas. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, Great Horned Owls initiate nesting earlier in the year than any other Missouri native bird.
Of the four kinds of owls that reside in Missouri year round, only the great horned owl has a thriving population. The remainder is declining in numbers,. Chances are a turkey will land on your table this week — a bird simmered in American tradition. The turkey was once so common in America and so well liked, that when United States officials were deciding on a national mascot there was much deliberation between the bald eagle and the turkey.
The largest of North American game birds, turkeys are large and powerful, standing up to three feet tall when alert. These birds are easily identified. According to a Missouri Department of Conservation survey, one and a half million Missourians enjoy bird feeding. Even on the dreariest winter day, watching the freedom and brilliant feathers of a bird in flight or their interactions as they enjoy a meal of sunflower seeds in your back yard can lift a foggy mood.
The most commonly recognized bird in. Frost flowers are delicate white blossoms that occur during the first hard frosts each fall when moisture squeezes through cracks in the stem and freezes into frosty Wribbons, rosebuds or other artistic looking shapes. Autumn rain and early frosts favor their formation, because they form when the water that is sucked out of the soil by a plant's.
Fox and Gray squirrels are among the most commonly observed Missouri animals. Because they populate as many towns and cities as they do forests, conflicts occur year-round when humans and squirrels live in close proximity.
This time of year, squirrels look for a warm place to avoid the cold weather, and unfortunately they'll often choose an accessible attic as their favorite shelter. Squirrels can be destructive in an attic because of. Snow geese travel through Missouri during their migration from the subarctic and arctic tundra breeding grounds to the coastal marshes, bays and southern wet grasslands where they spend the winter months. These medium sized, gleaming white geese make a great subjects for nature photography.
Though most snow geese are white, they do have other color phases, too. Because the young travel. Both the bald cypress and the tupelo are romantic trees, often associated with dark, mysterious swamps. The tupelo has full, graceful foliage, with oval shaped leaves that have a few randomly placed teeth. Though the Bald Cypress is known as an "evergreen" tree, it isn't really.
Like the hardwoods, its needles turn yellow in the fall and are shed. Accessibility links Skip to main content Keyboard shortcuts for audio player. Toggle more options Download. December 9, Discover Nature: The above ground stem Discover Nature: