Ask MDC

By MDC | October 1, 2024
From Missouri Conservationist: October 2024
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Got a question for Ask MDC? Send it to AskMDC@mdc.mo.gov or call 573-522-4115, ext. 3848.

Q: We have a large grove of pawpaw trees that never produce fruit. From some research, I believe this grove may be one genetically identical organism, thus unable to cross pollinate with other trees. If this is true, how has this grove grown so large? Moreover, how can we get it to produce fruit? In hope of jump-starting the grove’s production, we planted new saplings from the MDC nursery. Will this be a cure?

Pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is a small tree or shrub, growing up to 30 feet tall, that produces a cylindrical, aromatic, edible fruit with a bananalike taste and custardlike texture. These trees grow in the dense shade of Missouri’s ravines, valleys, and stream corridors.

Pawpaws produce suckers from the roots to form groves and thickets. Their flowers are complete, containing both male and female parts, but for the tree to bear fruit, it must be pollinated by a genetically different tree. Thus, in natural stands of pawpaw, pollination and seed-set are very poor. Having a grove in a yard or field where they can be mowed under and protected from wildlife will help with seed production and fruit harvest.

Adding genetically different trees might help, but many factors, including a tree’s age, health, and weather conditions, influence whether it produces fruit or not. Depending on their location, pawpaws can take 10 to 20 years before they produce fruit. They grow in bottomlands where cold air settles; unfortunately, it doesn’t take many days of freezing spring temperatures to kill the trees’ tender blossoms.

To learn more about these wild edible pawpaws, visit short.mdc.mo.gov/4dp.

Q: I have a strange growth in my yard that appears to be a mushroom. The center is a small hole with a mighty army of ants going in and out. Can you tell me more about what’s going on?

Missouri is home to about 150 native species of ants, plus a few introduced species of ants. Both categories are capable of eating fungi like this puffball mushroom, which appears to be a Calvatia cyathiformis.

Mushroom-eating is mostly observed in North America’s native ant fauna among the woodland species of the genus Aphaenogaster, although a few other genera of native ants dabble in the practice, said entomologist James Trager.

However, based on this photo, it seems these ants are one of North America’s two introduced species of Eurasian Tetramorium, Trager said. The first, Tetramorium immigrans from Europe, has been here for at least a couple of centuries and is almost integrated — naturalized — into the native fauna of our continent in places that are subarctic but experience cold winters. The second, Tetramorium tsushimae known as the Japanese pavement ant, is a more recent arrival and is spreading invasively in disturbed open sites from St. Louis to at least three states.

“Indeed, it has decimated the native soil-dwelling ants and other soil arthropods in my yard,” Trager said.

He thinks the ants in this photo are likely Japanese pavement ants.

“They are highly omnivorous, eating just about any organic matter that will stand still for them and which does not involve swimming, diving, or climbing tall plants,” he said. “It looks to me like they are excavating their way into the puffball in search of mushroom juice.”

Q: What type of scat is this?

This is deer scat. Although deer scat is pelleted, it can be smooshed together, depending on what the animal has been eating. During the summer and periods where deer can obtain a high-fiber diet, the pellets will frequently clump. It’s also dark brown/black in color.

If fresh, the pellets that make up a mass of deer scat usually can be peeled apart. An additional clue: If this were scat from a bear, coyote, raccoon, or other large mammal, hair and/or seeds would likely be present.

This Issue's Staff

Magazine Manager - Stephanie Thurber
Editor - Angie Daly Morfeld
Associate Editor - Larry Archer
Photography Editor – Ben Nickelson
Staff Writer - Kristie Hilgedick
Staff Writer - Joe Jerek
Staff Writer – Dianne Van Dien
Designer - Marci Porter
Photographer - Noppadol Paothong
Photographer - David Stonner
Circulation – Marcia Hale