Ask MDC

Got a question for Ask MDC? Send it to AskMDC@mdc.mo.gov or call 573-522-4115, ext. 3848.

Q: I took this picture today at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge in Stoddard County. Is this a Wilson’s snipe?

Yes, this is a Wilson’s snipe. Snipe forage at marshes, swamps, wet pastures, crop stubble, and drainage ditches for insects, crustaceans, and vegetation. As they poke their bills repeatedly into the mud, probing for invertebrates, their bobbing heads look something like a sewing machine. Like the related woodcock, their bills have a sensitive, flexible tip that can open to grip food while the rest of the bill remains closed. You can learn more about these amazing birds at short.mdc.mo.gov/4zT.

Q: I have been looking at some cultivars of mulberry and considering planting a few trees on my property in addition to the native red mulberry (Morus rubra) we already have. I’ve also seen warnings about the invasive nature of white mulberry (Morus alba). Many cultivars, however, are labeled as hybrids. For instance, Illinois everbearing is variably claimed to be either Morus alba x rubra or simply Morus rubra. Do these hybrid cultivars pose the same threat to native mulberry populations that white mulberry does? Or can I safely plant some Illinois everbearing and similar cultivars without negative ecological impact?

Unfortunately, white mulberry is known to be terribly invasive. As conservationists, we do not recommend that you plant it or a hybridized cross of it. There have been several examples in which certain hybrids were thought to be sterile only to revert to the more aggressive species. Bradford pear is a good example; it was once considered sterile until it crossed with another sterile hybrid and produced fertile offspring.

“Sooner or later, these hybrid products end up being a problem, too,” Missouri State Botanist Malissa Briggler said. “For this reason, we recommend landowners plant only native red mulberry.”

Q: What species of frog is this? It lives in an old cattle watering spot. The property has various marshes on it that are fed by a powerful spring.

This is a green frog (Lithobates clamitans). A member of the true frog family, Ranidae, this medium-sized frog varies in color from green to greenish-tan to brown. But the upper lip and head are usually green.

These solitary frogs often live in small stream habitats where each deep pool is home to a single adult. When disturbed, a green frog quickly will jump in the water, often emitting a high-pitched squawk as it jumps.

The green frog looks like the American bullfrog but is smaller and has a ridge of skin along the sides of the back, from behind the eye to midbody, that is not found on bullfrogs. For more information on Missouri’s native green frogs, visit short.mdc.mo.gov/4z5.