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Discover Nature Notes

Ballooning Spiders

Peg Craft
Oct 20, 2019

Watch for flying spiders this fall.  The newly hatched young will find a launch point, release their silk, and balloon to new territory.  Learn more, including what they've been mistaken for, in this week's Discover Nature Note.

crab spider

Hiking for Health and Happiness

Peg Craft
Oct 13, 2019

Hike your way to health and happiness with this week's Discover Nature Note.

hiking

What About Bobcat?

Peg Craft
Oct 06, 2019

What About Bobcat? No baby steps needed for these stealthy creatures that can climb, pounce, and swim. Learn more in this week's Discover Nature Note.

Bobcat

Fall's Tasty Treat

Peg Craft
Sep 30, 2019

Eat them green and you'll pucker up like a sunfish. Gather them ripe before the raccoons, and you'll enjoy Missouri's tastiest fall treat-- perfect for pies, breads, and puddings. Persimmons are a homegrown favorite. Discover more including recipes, and what sports use the wood in this week's Discover Nature Note.

Persimmon

MO Nuts

Peg Craft
Sep 21, 2019

Gather ye nuts while ye may. In Missouri, that's September and October. Our top three picks for nutrition, economic value and taste are black walnuts, pecans and hickories. Discover more and try a tasty recipe for glazed nuts in this week's Discover Nature Notes.

black walnuts

Bees in the Hood

Peg Craft
Sep 16, 2019

Without them, our produce aisles would be mostly bare. With less of them, harvest sizes will shrink and prices will soar. Bees are essential for many of the foods we eat and nutrients we need. Learn simple ways you can help bees in this week's Discover Nature Note.

common eastern bumblebee

Mysteries of the Sphinx Moths

Peg Craft
Sep 08, 2019

They rest like a sphinx, hover like a hummingbird, flutter like a bat, and are built for speed like a plane.  Sphinx moths have an identity crisis.  With us, not them.  Many are mistaken for other species. Discover more in this week's Discover Nature Notes.

white-lined sphinx larva

Flying Bullbats

Peg Craft
Sep 02, 2019

Watch for creatures known as flying "bullbats" in Missouri's September skies. Common Nighthawks fly like bats and make booming dives at dawn and dusk on their southern migration. Hear what they sound like and why their name makes no sense in this week's Discover Nature Note.

Common Nighthawk

The Hummingbirds of the Fish World

Peg Craft
Aug 25, 2019

Darters have been called the hummingbirds of the fish world. See their flash-and-dash, and travel streamside to discover the Niangua darter, a fish found only in Missouri, in this week's Discover Nature Note.

Niangua Darter

Outdoor Cooking

Peg Craft
Aug 18, 2019

Whether you're camping, or cooking out in a park or backyard, food always tastes better outdoors. Discover tips and recipes from MDC's campfire cooks in this week's Discover Nature Note.

wild trout on barbecue grill

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We protect and manage the fish, forest, and wildlife of the state. We facilitate and provide opportunity for all citizens to use, enjoy, and learn about these resources.

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