Field Guide

They’re drinking nectar from late-blooming flowers like asters. Not even their eggs will survive Missouri winters. They’ll repopulate next year from the south.

Their opulent, bright yellow flower clusters are a stunning contrast to deep scarlet sumacs, hot purple ironweeds, and cool lavender asters.

This group of small, chunky assassin bugs lurk on pretty flowerheads and snatch unlucky insects. Would you say they look more like mantids — or tiny dragons?

One of Missouri’s four species of sumacs, smooth sumac stars in fall color’s first act. This month, its leaves are turning brilliant scarlet, ruby, and burgundy.