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

Why Don’t Mosquitoes Die in Winter?

How many times have you heard someone say, “At least this cold snap in January will kill all the mosquitoes.” But come spring they are divebombing your head yet again. The fact is that many kinds of mosquitoes easily live through a cold winter. All mosquito species have some way to survive, although different species manage this in different ways. In spite of their annoying way of leaving humans with red, itchy bites, mosquitoes are an important part of a food web. Birds, including purple martins and bluebirds, eat mosquitoes with gusto. Some fish eat the larvae and bats can eat up to 1000 mosquitoes an hour.

          The mosquito life cycle is completed in four stages. All mosquitoes begin their lives in water as eggs. The eggs hatch and become larvae. A larva looks like a worm and must surface to breathe through a siphon that works like a snorkel. Larvae eat algae and other tiny creatures. The next stage is the pupa stage. Pupae don’t eat during this short period of time while they are changing into adult mosquitoes. The adult females then leave the water to seek blood sources for the protein they need to produce eggs. Adult males only eat plant nectar.

          Mosquitoes like warm temperatures. Once the daily temperatures begin to dip into the 60s, they slow down. Below 50 degrees they stop flying altogether. They are cold blooded insects and cannot regulate their own body temperatures. Before it gets that chilly, the female’s mate and lay a last batch of eggs in water. At this point male mosquitoes die. No males live through freezing temperatures. Males will hatch from the eggs in the spring.

          Females have a couple of different ways they ensure the next generation of baby mosquitoes will live to buzz around in the spring. Mosquito eggs can survive winter by becoming dormant under water and even ice. Their development stops until warm water wakes them up in the spring. Some species of mosquitoes can live over the winter as larvae. They also become dormant until spring. Pupa stage mosquitoes are unable to survive freezing or near freezing temperatures so most will die.

          Depending on species, some adult females can live through winter. They enter what is called diapause which is similar to hibernation. Their metabolisms slow and they remain in that stage until the temperatures rise in the spring. After laying her last batch of eggs and before entering diapause, the adult female searches for a sheltered place to overwinter. This could be in a shed, garage, or basement. She might also find shelter inside logs, woodpiles, or animal burrows.

          Once temperatures rise into the 60s in the spring, the females exit diapause. At this point a female is really hungry for a blood meal so she can lay eggs. This may be why mosquitoes sometimes seem more aggressive in the spring. Ice will melt and warmer water will allow the eggs to hatch into larvae. The life cycle begins again.

          The best way to control mosquitoes is to deprive them of any standing water where they can lay eggs. Most mosquitoes have a fairly small flight range. They may live and breed within a few hundred yards up to a mile depending on species. If you can get rid of any standing water in your yard and perhaps persuade your neighbors to do the same, it can make a difference in how many mosquitoes you are swatting in May.

Submitted by Bonnie Hinman, 2014 Graduate

Cartoons from Getty, picture MDC, and life cycle via internet.

The Color Conundrum

Why do tree leaves that are green in the summer turn different colors in the fall? A cottonwood tree leaf turns yellow before falling off the tree. A red maple tree leaf turns a brilliant scarlet. They were both green all summer, as were hickory leaves that turn golden bronze and aspen leaves that turn a bright yellow. The answer lies in pigments that were either in the leaves already or formed in late summer or early fall.

          The three pigments found in leaves are chlorophyll, carotenoids, and anthocyanins. Chlorophyll is the chemical that gives leaves their green color in spring and summer. It allows plants to use sunlight to produce the sugars they need for food. This process is called photosynthesis.

  As the days shorten in the fall, chlorophyll production slows. Sunlight is less intense, which also slows chlorophyll production. Finally, chlorophyll production stops entirely, and a layer of cells forms and blocks the leaf’s base.

When the green of chlorophyll fades, it allows other pigments to show. All leaves have carotenoid pigment during the spring and summer. It is hidden by the green of chlorophyll. Carotenoid produces yellow to orange leaves, such as those on an ash or tulip poplar tree.

          Some species of trees contain another pigment called anthocyanin. It is formed in the fall when trapped sugar is left in the leaves after chlorophyll production ends. It is revealed in the scarlet leaves of the red maple tree. The red that anthocyanin produces overpowers the carotenoid pigment that is also present in a leaf.

The shortening of days is the main reason that leaves turn colors, but there are other factors that can influence when that will happen. In general, leaves begin turning colors from north to south in the U.S.; weather is a factor as well. Warm sunny days with cool nights produce the most brilliant colors. Moisture in the soil can also affect color and is one of the most variable factors from year to year. A summer drought can delay the onset of fall color by several weeks. A hot and dry spell during early fall can cause the leaves to have less intense color.

Leaves fall from broad-leaved trees for a reason. Summer leaves are thin and filled with a watery sap. This sap would easily freeze during a cold winter.  So, the tree drops the leaves and preserves sap in the hardier twigs and branches. The lengthening days of spring, plus warmer temperatures, wake up the trees to begin producing chlorophyll along with new leaves.  

          The cycle begins again as baby leaves pop out on tree branches. The light green tint of the trees signals the end of what may have been a long winter.

Submitted by Bonnie Hinman, 2014 Graduate

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Shoal Creek Water Festival

Wildcat Park

Saturday, July 19, 2025, 10 am – 2:00 pm

Generously sponsored by Missouri American Water

This event is an absolute blast! Get ready for some awesome activities like cardboard boat races crafted by clever and brave participants, shoebox boat races where kids can showcase their cool creations, and a thrilling rubber duck race.  Plus, there will be snow cones, food, live entertainment, and tons of fun for the whole family! Want to join in on the cardboard or shoebox boat races? Please read below.

Please fill out the registration forms & return them to robin@wildcatglades.org.  Please remember to submit your registration fee.  That can be done on this website.  They are listed on the tickets.  If you have difficulties, contact us.  Don’t worry, we want you in the races!

Boat Entry Adults 2025

Boat Entry Teen 2025

https://bit.ly/CBRAdult

https://bit.ly/CardboardRaceTeen

https://wildcatglades.org/event/shoal-creek-water-festival/

A Flash of Red

When I moved to the Newton County corner of the Missouri Ozarks, I brought some things that not everyone brings with them, and one of those things was a love for the local streams and fish, oh, and a very large dip net. I was joining a family with two young brothers, and I was excited at the opportunity to show them the amazing things that they could find in the local streams. I was thinking about darters, mostly with their beautiful spring colors of red, blue, orange, and green, and those boys definitely got to see darters growing up, but there was one day when all of that changed. I was out checking a spot to see if it was worth bringing the boys to look; the water is often cold, and I wanted to make sure that it wouldn’t be a disappointment. On that day, though, back in 2003, I pulled up something amazing in my dip net - a fish of brilliant red and contrasting black, a cardinal shiner! I am sure I stood breathless for a moment just staring before my wits caught up with me and I drove to get the boys and their sister, my wife. We spent the next half hour in thigh-deep water scooping up cardinal shiners to stare at them before we returned them to their breeding grounds.  I remember vividly the boys singing, “I’m in the mood for love,” once they understood the reason for the bright colors and the lack of fear from these beautiful fish.

        That was the first of many great encounters with this gem of the western Ozarks. A couple of years later, I found myself buying a cheap camera that could take underwater pictures, and soon after, I was swimming with these fish rather than pulling them out of the water to see them. This worried my friends, and they would insist on going with me to make sure I didn’t get hypothermia swimming in the fifty-degree water. I realize now how smart they were to be worried, because one could definitely lose track of time while surrounded by the flick and flash of these amazing animals. I shared those pictures with anyone who would hold still, and I invited some to join me underwater to look at the nuptial dance, but few ever had the chance. The dance happens in random places on cold streams every spring, and at a different time every year. It can be a real gamble to try to find them.

        That leads up to a few weekends back, a new kayak, and a hope and a prayer on Indian Creek just downstream of Lanagan, MO. My tolerant and beautiful wife gave the nod to buy a new kayak, even though I had one resting comfortably in the driveway. She puts up with a lot. She also gave me the ever-so-patient nod when I asked her to be my driver to get me on the river to “test” the new kayak. I gave her the very real reason that I wanted to get on the water, “just in case.” She knew exactly what that meant, and off to Lanagan City Park we went, kayak strapped down on top of the Ford. The water was chilly on my arms, legs, and butt as I plopped down in the kayak with my underwater camera strapped to my neck and my snorkel tied into the rigging of the kayak. It was a very pleasant float on the new kayak; the river was flowing nicely, and even on the rapids just south of town, I didn’t have to get out and pull the kayak. Unfortunately, I was a mile or so down the river when I realized I had forgotten one of my most important pieces of gear.  I didn’t have my polarized sunglasses, and that meant that the water was just a mirror to me, reflecting the beautiful, if slightly angry-looking sky. I will never complain about this view, but it wasn’t what I really wanted to see.

Cardinal Shiners in Indian Creek, Newton County

        A morning on the river is always worth the time, and in the spring you get to see all sorts of things including sunbathing snapping turtles, osprey, and warblers, but it wasn’t until I approached the end Indian Creek that I glimpsed what dreams are made of on the river, and I don’t mean a cooler full of Milwaukee’s Best that someone forgot sitting in cold spring water with a set of winning lottery tickets. I mean a big mass of red shimmering on top of a submerged sandbar I noticed out of the corner of my eye while maneuvering through a corner decorated for spring with a log jam. I almost dismissed it as seeing just a little rare sunshine on some creek gravel, but I chided myself with advice from Becky Wylie, “Take the picture, you may never get to see that sight again, take all the pictures” The yak navigated for the shore, and I started to untie my snorkel and mask. My excitement escalated quickly when I started to cross the creek to get to where I had seen the color, and it wasn’t just because of the depth and temperature of the water. I could definitely see the churning ball of red fish, and it was covering an impressive amount of the creek bed. This was probably the biggest breeding ball of cardinal shiners I have ever seen, and I had my fully charged camera and my snorkel. It was seven minutes of heaven.

        I worked my way upstream of them, dropped to my knees, gasped, spit in my mask, and then mustered the nerve to plunge my head into the fifty-degree water. There is always a moment when I stick my head underwater for the first time of the day, it is definitely entering a new world. To do this with these fish in front of me is more like a brief access to see Heaven on Earth. The world swirls in red, gold, and black in front of you. They dive at you through the current, using your legs and body as a break from the strong current. You are just another log jam in their world, a place to rest against the strong current of a fast-flowing river. I took out my camera and started snapping pictures, knowing even then that I would never capture this moment perfectly, never be able to share it with anyone like I was experiencing it that moment. After snapping fifty or more pictures, I remembered that my camera takes video and I fumbled with the buttons to flip it to that mode, only to have the battery light yell at me in objection. My fully charged camera wasn’t charged after all, and my backup battery was in the Ford, two miles downstream. The controls went back to fish mode, and I went back to being a nature voyeur. I knew that these fish had gathered from all over this stream to compete for the opportunity to mate on this shallow, submerged gravel bar, and I knew how lucky I was to find them. I sure wasn’t going to waste this moment. I stayed underwater watching the colors and motion, my own private cinema on the creek showing the most amazing nature documentary. It is my dream every spring to watch this film, and I was not disappointed this year at all!

Kevin went through the Missouri Master Naturalist Core Training in 2014. He teaches High School Science at Pierce City, MO, where he avidly introduces his students to the wonders of nature, especially those found in Missouri waterways. Photos taken by Kevin.

Native Plant Sale

Native Plants

Spring Native Plant Sale

Registration is not required.

LOCATION & SCHEDULE

Meeting on: Located at:

Shoal Creek Conservation Education Center
201 W. Riviera Drive
Joplin, MO 64804
(417) 629-3434
Get Directions

Start Time Saturday, May 24, 202510:00 AM End Time Saturday, May 24, 20252:00 PM

Additional Information: Instructed by: Drop by any time at this free event to purchase native plants for your landscaping needs. Vendors will offer hardy plants native to Missouri and will provide information about the benefits of planting native species. Or pre-order the native plants for your landscaping needs, and they will be available for you to pick up.

Missouri Wildflower Nursery, Jefferson City, MO; mowildflowers.net •Phone: (573) 496-3492

Ozark Soul Native Plants, Thornfield, MO; ozarksoul.com •Phone: (816) 809-4062