Get Outside in June

Visit a Prairie!

Did you know June 4 is National Prairie Day? Missouri’s native treeless grasslands are called prairies, and they host a variety of plants and animals. There are very few prairies left, although before European settlement, more than a third of the state was covered with them. Gray-headed coneflowers and purple coneflowers are just two of the native wildflowers blooming on prairies this time of year. For more information on prairies, visit short.mdc.mo.gov/Zts. To find a prairie near you, visit short.mdc.mo.gov/Z9o.

The Sights and Sounds of Summer

A sure sign that summer has arrived — fireflies begin to flicker in the night sky while annual cicadas begin to sing. Enjoy the show!

Leaving the Nest

Mama birds are preparing their young to leave the nest. Watch out for fledglings making their way into their new world. But look on from a safe distance and be sure not to disturb their progress. Chances are mama isn’t too far and may swoop in if you bother her brood.

It’s Been a Long Day

June 21 marks the first day of summer, also known as the summer solstice. This day is also the longest day of the year, meaning it is the day with the longest period of sunlight. How will you spend these valuable, sun-filled hours? Go for a hike in the woods? Grab a pole and head to your favorite fishing spot? Dust off the binoculars and see how many different birds you can spot in one day? The options are endless. What will you discover?

Happy Father’s Day

Sunday, June 19, 11 a.m.–4:30 p.m.

Lake City Shooting Range, 28505 E. Truman Road, Buckner, MO 64016

No registration required. Call 816-249-3194 for more information.

As a special Father’s Day gift, all dads get to shoot for free for today only.

Find more events in your area at mdc.mo.gov/events

Strange but True

Your guide to all the unusual, unique, and unbelievable stuff that goes on in nature.

The creatures that inhabit Missouri are remarkable, diverse, and … strange. It’s a weird, wild world out there, and now you can learn all about it in MDC’s new book, Strange but True. Adapted from the pages of MDC’s award-winning children’s magazine Xplor, this guidebook offers more than 350 fun facts about Missouri wildlife at its strangest.

Now available for purchase for $8.95 online at mdcnatureshop.com or at MDC nature centers around the state. Applicable tax, shipping, and handling costs apply.

Natural Events to See This Month

Here’s what’s going on in the natural world.

• American bullfrogs breed
• Wild geranium (Crane’s Bill) in bloom
• Green sunfish spawning peaks
• White-tailed deer fawns are born
• Tawny emperors fly