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Letters to the Editor

Submissions reflect readers’ opinions and may be edited for length and clarity. Email Magazine@mdc.mo.gov or write to us:

Missouri Conservationist

PO Box 180

Jefferson City, MO 65102

Inspiring

Thank you for a clean, neat, and inspiring magazine. I appreciate your efforts and the high-quality content of the Missouri Conservationist.

Titus S. Martin, Rich Hill

Container Gardening for the Bees

Thank you for your wonderful magazine. Each month I learn something new.

Even though I am afraid of bees, your February 2024 issue was very informative [Chasing the Buzz, Page 10].

I will have to set aside my fear to do some of the container gardening you mentioned [Prairie on the Patio, Page 16]. My little patio needs some color. Being a senior citizen, I can no longer take care of a large garden, so the containers will be perfect for me.

Keep up the good work.

Marilee Reeds, Wentzville

Tagging Rocks

Nature Lab in the February issue [Page 4] made me laugh out loud — tagging rocks? Really? I knew of tagging waterfowl and tagging fish and even tagging all kinds of game and nongame animals. But pit tagging rocks? It really made me laugh until I read the article and understood the purpose and benefits of such studies.

What a great conservation department and magazine we have.

Jim LePage, Springfield

Clarification

The ruby-throated hummingbird featured on Page 26 of the March issue was, in fact, a male. The iridescent colors of many birds, especially hummingbirds, is caused by the structure of the feathers, which reflect a particular color. So, it isn’t pigment that provides color. This means that from certain angles or when there isn’t much light, the colors don’t show. In this picture, the throat feathers appear brownish and many of the green feathers also look brown. But some of the green feathers that are catching the light show the iridescent green. Females, in contrast, have no throat patch. Their throats are white.