Discover Nature

Discover Nature this week with Missouri’s creepy critters. It's that spooky time of year -- when plastic bats and spiders abound. But the real critters are not as scary as people think – plus, they bring benefits.

Discover nature this week with Missouri's caterpillars. While all bears are preparing for the winter, it's the familiar fuzzy caterpillar known as the woolly bear that clearly signals that cold weather is just around the corner.

A speedy wanderer has returned to Missouri's skies. The Peregrine falcon was nearly wiped out in the mid-1900s due to pesticide poisoning. Historically, peregrines nested in small numbers on bluffs along the Mississippi, Missouri, and Gasconade rivers. By the late 1800s, only a few pairs remained in the state.

If copperheads are a fear factor for you, there is hope and help. Since they don’t look like other Missouri snakes, they are easy to identify and avoid.

Have some family fun in your own backyard this fall with creatures that fly by night. Moth Sugaring is an old adventure with new thrills.

Persimmons are a sweet fall treat often used in breads, puddings, and pies. They're also a favorite for wildlife (so you may have to race the raccoons to harvest them).

Fall is a great time for hiking. The weather is cooler, the colors are changing, and our conservation areas offer many choices.

Have you ever noticed birds flying around the lights while enjoying your favorite team play on summer evenings?

Few Missourians realize that all snakes native to our state are protected.

Did you know that out of the twenty varieties of armadillos found in Central and South America, only one species made its home in our country and state?

Did you know Missouri has freshwater shrimp?

If you're looking for a new adventure this summer, especially one that is healthy, tasty, and can involve the whole family, berry picking may be right for you.

Just think: If badgers could help us with our gardening activities, our plants would always be in tip-top shape.

Discover nature this week with ants in Missouri. You see them as they scurry about on driveways, lawns, and sidewalks -- or maybe even in your home! Regardless, ants seem to be everywhere. Some tunnel underground, while others reside in rotting wood or leaf litter.

Discover nature this week with Missouri's crayfish. While coastal lobsters are famous, their downsized relative, the crayfish (also called crawdad) lives in obscurity right here in Midwestern waters.

Discover Nature this week with Missouri’s wildlife survival skills. Life among nature’s creatures is not all sweetness and delight. There are conflicts in the wild over food, nest sites and mates. And these conflicts can result in life or death.

Discover nature this week with Missouri's grasshoppers. Did you know there’s an unofficial song of summer? And it comes from one insect: the grasshopper. Their calls are the elevator music of summer.

Discover Nature this week with red, white, and blue in Missouri. This week, in honor of Independence Day, we celebrate red, white, and blue in nature.

Bird eggs sport an amazing variety of sizes, colors, and shapes. Their colors could fill an artist’s palette, from robin's egg blue to a buffy pink, from purple to green.

Discover Nature with Missouri's fish fathers. Father’s Day comes around during a popular time of year for family fishing. And two of our more popular fish make pretty good fish fathers.

Discover nature this week with Missouri Hummingbirds. A “glittering fragment of the rainbow” is how an early American naturalist described the hummingbird. He must have been impressed with its shimmering green plumage and crimson throat feathers.

Discover nature this week with Missouri's caterpillars. The bright wings of butterflies catch your eyes, and many people notice. But few notice naturally drab caterpillars.

Discover nature this week with Missouri wrens. Wrens are among the smallest songbirds, yet they make their presence known in a big way. They are both loud and persistent singers.

All wildlife requires three elements to survive: food, water, and shelter. You can attract the greatest variety and amount of wildlife to your backyard by providing a variety of those sources.

If you’ve been driving through the countryside lately, you may have noticed box turtles sharing the pavement. Spring rains and warm weather make this the season that box turtles wander. As they search for food and mates, these harmless land turtles must cross roads that pass through their home areas.