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Discover Nature Notes

The Buzz on Flowers

Peg Craft
May 08, 2017

Happy Mother's Day. Flowers make a perfect gift for this special day. They add beauty and are an essential part of the food chain. Learn the buzz on how flowers came to be and watch a time-lapse video of Missouri native wildflowers in this week's Discover Nature Note.

Photo of smooth spiderwort flowers being visited by beelike syrphid flies

The Color of Fish

Peg Craft
May 01, 2017

It's all about the color, even for Missouri fish, when it comes to blending into their surroundings, selecting mates and defense.  Fish can also change their colors and patterns by mood.  Learn more about the how fish use color in this week's Discover Nature Note.

Native Fishes

Avoiding Ticks

Peg Craft
Apr 24, 2017

Don't let these blood sucking parasites ruin your good time in the outdoors.  Learn about ticks and the best ways to avoid them and remove them in this week's Discover Nature Note.

Tick on Leaf

Wayfaring Warblers

Peg Craft
Apr 17, 2017

Spring brings some colorful visitors through the Show Me state.  Discover what birdwatchers know about spotting these wayfaring warblers as they make their journey form Central and South America in this week's Discover Nature Note.

Common Yellow-throated Warbler

Fire In Nature

Peg Craft
Apr 10, 2017

Discover the beneficial ways fire can help natural habitats and private property in this week's Discover Nature Note.

Prescribed Fire

Red-wing Stakeout

Peg Craft
Apr 03, 2017

You can't miss the male red-winged blackbird while on stakeout.  To defend their territory from predators, including human approaches, the males will trill loudly from their perch and lift the leading edge of their wings to show off their patch of red.  Red-wings are fierce defenders during nesting.  Learn more about these showy competitors in this week's Discover Nature Note.

Red-winged Blackbird

Be Bear Aware

Peg Craft
Mar 27, 2017

Get to know the black bear and how you can be bear aware in Missouri in this week's Discover Nature Note.

Black Bear

Signs of Spring

Peg Craft
Mar 20, 2017

The sights and sounds of spring are emerging this time of year.  From flowering plants to flitting butterflies and a chorus of frogs and toads.  Learn more about the signs of spring in this week's Discover Nature Notes blog.

Spring Peeper Calling

Gaga Over Ferns

Peg Craft
Mar 13, 2017

There are thousands of ferns out there with very creative names and amazing superpowers.  You can now officially go "gaga" over them with a new genus of 19 plants named after Lady Gaga, so named because one of her costumes resembles a unique life stage.  Learn about the amazing feats of fabulous ferns in this week's Discover Nature Notes blog.

fern

Showy and Subtle Tree Flowers

Peg Craft
Mar 06, 2017

Some are showy, some are not.  To attract insects for pollination, some tree flowers put on a colorful spring show.  Tree flowers pollinated by wind are more plain and subtle.  Dogwoods and redbuds are more striking, but oaks, maples, elms and other trees also bloom in the spring.  Learn about flowering trees in this week's Discover Nature Note.

Flowers on oak tree

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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.