MONARCH FESTIVAL & NATIVE PLANT SALE

Shoal Creek Conservation Education Center will be hosting the Monarch & Native Plant Sale this Saturday October 19th, beginning at 10 A.M. until 1 P.M. Along with this event there will be two (2) Native Plant Nursery’s where you will be able to select those much needed native plants, shrubs, & trees for our native pollinators and other wildlife. Come early to get your best selections.

Come learn more about the declining Monarch Butterfly population and see what we can do to help. “WE” the public can help in those efforts by planting native milkweed and other native plants that provide nectar along their long journey.

Dog Days of Summer

It is only right that this column discusses the origin of the phrase “dog days of summer” as we are currently in those days and have a photo contest by the same name happening right now.

 You might think that the name comes from it being so hot that dog will just lie around, but nope! It all has to do with the night sky.

 This is the time of year that the dog star, Sirius, looks like it’s rising alongside the sun. Sirius is the brightest star in the Canis Major constellation.

According to a National Geographic article, the ancient Greek and Roman cultures believed that the heat from these two stars rising together caused the hottest days of the year.

 NatGeo says that the phrase was translated from Latin to English about 500 years ago. Since then, it’s come to take on other meanings, depending on where you live.

 So, don’t forget to give your dogs (and other pets) extra water during these dog days!

creek swimming to cool off

Submitted by Brit Stack 2024 Core Training Graduate

Prairie Days at George Washington Carver

Event Details

• Date & Time: Saturday, September 12, 2026, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

• Location: George Washington Carver National Monument, 5646 Carver Road, Diamond, MO 64840

• Cost: Free admission

Activities & Features

• Historic Trades: Watch live demonstrations of basket weaving, blacksmithing, spinning, and Dutch-oven cooking.

• Music & Stories: Enjoy live music and storytelling at the Music Tent and the Moses Carver House.

• For Kids: Interactive exhibits, children's activities, and the chance to earn a Prairie Day Junior Ranger badge.

• If you plan to attend, would you like information on local parking, weather forecasts, or nearby dining options?

Shoal Creek Water Festival

Save The Date and Start building your Cardboard Boats and have the Kids work on their Shoebox Boats.

Upcoming Information Meeting for the Fall 2026 new training class

The Joplin chapter of Missouri Master Naturalists, Chert Glades Chapter, will host an informational meeting for all 18 and older who are interested in joining the Fall 2026 Missouri Master Naturalist Training Class. This meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 21, 2026. The meeting will be held at 6:00 pm at the Shoal Creek Conservation Education Center, 201 Riviera Dr., Joplin, MO 64804.

 The class will begin on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, from 6:00 until 9:00. It will meet on Tuesdays for a total of 12 weeks. There will also be three Saturday field trips. The final session will be on Tuesday, November 17, 2026.

 The fee for the class is $110.00. Partial scholarships are available. After graduating from the class, trainees are eligible to be interns and, after further training, can become Certified Missouri Master Naturalists.

 The public is invited to attend the informational meeting and learn more details. The fall class will have a limit of 25 trainees with a waiting list if needed.

For additional information please contact Bonnie Hinman at bonnie.hinman@sbcglobal.net or call 417-850-0842

https://www.chertglades.org

GREEN GRASS BENEATH YOUR FEET! By Ann Butts

Diamond Grove Prairie

Local prairies are full of amazing color right now so it is fitting to spend some time during the week of the summer solstice observing a local prairie. I always find time during this week to visit some prairies because they are at their peak of blooming.

““I was raised on county sunshine, green grass beneath my feet.

Running through fields of daisies, wading through the creek.””

— Country Sunshine by Dottie West

 I was not raised in the country; I grew up in suburban St. Louis.  But that did not stop me from seeking out any tiny patch of green grass, fields of flowers, or a creek to wade in when I was young.  Summer was an endless time of staying outdoors hours at a time, exploring natural places, and searching for anything wild; turtles, snakes, bugs, and lots of dirt.

At a young age I was fascinated with wildflowers.  Not yet acquiring my “naturalist mentality” I picked some every day and had vases of flowers all over the house.  Today, I find it more satisfying to leave the flowers there for everyone to enjoy, and assure they can reseed for the next season.

Coreopsis

My favorite prairie, Diamond Grove, dressed itself in my favorite color, yellow, for the first day of summer.  Purple headed sneeze-weed, cownbeard, black eyed susans, and coreopsis created a yellow carpet wonderland for butterflies,  dragonflies and birds.

Indian Paint Brush

Poppy Mallow

Contrasting colors came from bright red-orange Indian paint brush, blue spider-wort, and pink sensitive brier.  Hard to find milkwort, wild petunia, and Deptford pinks shyly hid in the under-story of the tall grasses.

My second favorite prairie, Linden Prairie, was ablaze with color.  Dark pink poppy mallow waved above the tall grasses, gray-headed cone flowers delicately shifted their heads in the wind, and bright yellow ox-eye sunflowers beamed in the sunlight.

At Linden Prairie, I recorded eight species of butterflies and two types of dragonflies while listening to dickcissels and many other birds call from one end of the prairie to the other.  I had the whole prairie to myself, which was both wonderful and sad at the same time.  Sad because others were missing what I got to enjoy.

Wood nymph butterfly

Many cultures observe the summer solstice as a turning point in the year.  On the prairie, it is also a turning point.  It is the beginning of the end as wildflowers are at their peak and we begin to observe the seeds of summer’s end. So get out there and absorb some country sunshine and get some green grass beneath your feet on a local prairie.  You will be better for it!

Ann Butts has been a member of Chert Glades Master Naturalists since 2005. Preserving wildflowers and prairies are high on her list of worthwhile Missouri projects.   “My goal, through my photography, writing, and volunteerism is to help people think about nature, learn about nature, and respect nature.” 

The Cardinal Valley Documentary-June 4th

https://www.facebook.com/events/1310173961028447?post_id=1343265101052666&acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22surface%22%3A%22user_timeline%22%7D%2C%7B%22mechanism%22%3A%22footer_attachment%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22newsfeed%22%7D]%2C%22ref_notif_type%22%3Anull%7D

Guided Bison Saunter

Prairie State Park-Bison KSG

Our corner of the world offers many interesting adventures, if they know where to look.

 One of these is the bison saunter at Prairie State Park, near Mindenmines, MO.

These are ranger-led hikes to see the bison – from a safe distance away.  (We wouldn’t want you to end up like some of the folks at Yellowstone N.P.)

I recently participated in one of these jaunts across the prairie. Not only did we get an excellent view of most of the furry beasts that roam the not-quite-4,000 acres, but the ranger leading the trek also shared insights into traditional uses of bison. (The list is long!) He also talked about the wildflowers and other wildlife we spotted!

These hikes happen every month except October. You do need to sign up in advance for the free event.

https://mostateparks.com/park/prairie-state-park

Love is in the Air

Love is in the air… unfortunately.

You may notice eau de skunk floating in the air more this time of year. You may also see more roadkill skunks.

That’s because it’s breeding season for our striped friend Mephitis mephitis and it’s less often seen, eastern spotted cousin, Spilogale putorius.

Our striped friend breeds starting in February. A single litter of up to six young is born sometime between early May and early June.

For the eastern spotted skunk, they breed in late winter and give birth from April to July.

So, what do you do if the smelling suitors spray your property? According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, some pest control operators have commercial deodorants. Household products such as ammonia, bleach, vinegar and canned tomato juice might also help. However, these should be used for more spot treatment of items (or people) sprayed directly by a skunk.

Stripped Skunk - MDC Staff

Spotted Skunk - MDC Staff

Written by Brit Stack, 2024 graduate

Cold Feet & A Bald Face Lie

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Have you heard the birds or driven down to Stella to see the bald eagles? I’ve done quite a bit of birdwatching the past few weeks. It wasn’t until I saw a post by someone else that I realized I’d never asked an important question: how do birds avoid frost bite?

As with most things in nature, it comes down to anatomy.

According to The Cornell Lab, it comes down to how their feet are built.

Birds maintain a core body temperature above 100*F. But most birds don’t get frostbite because there’s not a lot of fluid in the cells in their feet. They’re mostly tendons and bones with very little muscle or nerve tissue.

The way their blood vessels are wired also allows blood going into their feet to warm up the blood leaving their feet.

You’ll also see birds standing on one foot more during the winter. Their balance lets them pull a foot up into their feathers to warm it without falling off a branch!

Today, we’re uncovering the lie that is the sound a bald eagle makes.
You may associate the bald eagle with a loud screech, as often seen in the movies.
Did you know that noise is not an eagle? That noise is actually the call of a red-tailed hawk!
Eagles typically make a high-pitched whistling noise. The hawk makes that hoarse kee-eeee-arr!
You can find what sounds and songs different birds make at www.allaboutbirds.org or download the Merlin Bird App on your smart phone, sponsored by Cornell Lab so you will always have it with you.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/GmeiI3nncxU

Submitted by Brit Stack, 2024 Graduate