Get Out!

Fun things to do and great places to discover nature.

• Watch for lightning bugs on warm nights.
• Bluegill begin spawning in May. See if you can spot their circular nests.
• Learn proper fish handling and more at in shallow water. Cane Pole Fishing for Families June 4. Program runs from 10 a.m.–noon at Busch Conservation Area in St. Louis. Email Scott.Sarantakis@mdc.mo.gov to register by May 31.
• Go nuts for berries. Wild gooseberries, raspberries, and mulberries ripen in June.
• Be bear aware. One-and-a-half-year-old male black bears may be on the move in the Ozarks.
• Gig some bullfrogs or green frogs.
• Season begins at sunset June 30.

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

Critter Corner | Eastern Coachwhip

This snake can grow up to 60 inches long, and it lashes like a whip when caught. It might as well be called greased lightning because that’s how fast it is. Once it was believed the coachwhip could chase and whip people. But that’s a myth. It pursues prey like mice, lizards, and small snakes. In Missouri, it lives in dry, rocky landscapes in the southern half of the state. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/field-guide.