Get Out!

Fun things to do and great places to discover nature.

• A jumping spider has eight eyes, can leap 50 times the length of its body, and dances to pick up chicks. To celebrate these adorable arachnids, jump around on October 10, also known as International Jumping Spider Day.
• What’s small and gray, flies 40 miles per hour, and performs midair maneuvers that would make a stunt pilot queasy? It’s a mourning dove, and there’s nothing more challenging than trying to harvest a few. Dove season opens September 1. For info, fly over to mdc.mo.gov/hunting-trapping/species/dove.
• Look but don’t touch! Autumn is the best time to learn how to spot poison ivy. Its leaves turn red earlier than many other plants. For ID tips, visit short.mdc.mo.gov/ZcW.
• One of America’s biggest birds, the American white pelican, soars over Missouri in October. Look for them at wetland areas, where they gobble up fish to fuel their migration south.
• Some of nature’s coolest creatures are also its itty-bittiest. To find out what’s creeping just underfoot, lay down a 3-foot-long piece of yarn in your backyard and explore its length using a magnifying glass.

Looking for more ways to have fun outside? Find out about Discover Nature programs in your area at mdc.mo.gov/events.