Archive for category Missouri Animals
All Natural Bug Repellants
Posted by rian in Float Trips, Missouri Animals, Safety, Tips & Tricks on June 6th, 2011
With the summer rapidly approaching, it brings with it a plethora of different bugs and one unwelcomed variety is the mosquito. Because mosquitoes carry diseases like encephalitis and the West Nile virus, it is important to use insect repellant if you are going to be exposed to these pesky bugs for any length of time. Some people are sensitive to the ingredients in commercial insect repellants, which is why some individuals prefer to use precautions and all natural bug repellants to ward off these tiny flying vampires.
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13 Year Cicadas Back in Missouri
Posted by admin in Fishing, Missouri Animals on May 31st, 2011
During the month of May, people in Missouri will see a large number of the 13-year cicada emerge from their hibernation. These noisy bugs are members of the same family as the cicada that arrives in late summer when the weather is at it’s hottest in Missouri.
The nymph of the 13-year cicada spends almost their whole lives living underground. The nymphs feed off of the juices of plants and tree roots at depths of 1 foot or more. While living underground they go through five development stages before they emerge from the ground in large swarms on the 13th year during the month of May in Missouri. Read the rest of this entry »
Bears in Missouri
Posted by rian in Missouri Animals on February 28th, 2011
Many Missourians are under the impression that we do not have any bears living here. This statement is truly false. There have been several incidents where residents have found bears in their homes. One couple woke up in the middle of the night to a loud noise in their kitchen, when they stumbled down the stairs they actually fell over a large fuzzy bear raiding their kitchen. The people had been feeding this bear outside for some time, so it had become accustomed to the people that it just let itself in the house and when being faced with one of these people, it ran away out the same door it came in.
Bears were once common throughout Missouri, but since widespread habitat changes and unregulated bear hunting, they were almost wiped out. By the 1890’s they were believed to be almost eliminated completely. Most of the bear population that exists today comes from 254 black bears that were released between 1959 and 1967 in the Ozarks. The population of black bears in Arkansas is around 3,000 to 3,500 and some of their offspring has wandered into Missouri and set up homes.
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Hummingbirds of Missouri
Posted by rian in Missouri Animals on February 14th, 2011
Some 330 different species of hummingbirds thrive in every state across America, though interestingly enough there have been none reported from Hawaii. Though these birds appear to be fragile, they manage to adapt too many different climates and environments and recently there was a 30-million year old fossil found, which scientists feel is an ancestor of the modern hummingbirds, we see today. When visiting the state of Missouri, a nature lover will be able to witness many different types of hummingbirds and in the following article; we will discuss the ones most commonly found.
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Eagle Watching in Missouri
Posted by admin in Missouri Animals, Rivers on January 17th, 2011
If you are interested in watching some eagles in Missouri, then January and February are the best times of the year to do so. It is this time of the year when hundreds of these mighty, yet graceful, American Bald eagles come to the rivers of Missouri , as well as the mighty Mississippi, to feast on the fish and roost in the tall trees along the banks. There are several places in Missouri that offer a number of excellent viewing sites. To begin, The Confluence is a two hundred square mile conservation, tradition and recreation corridor along the two rivers. This is just one of the amazing places one could watch these intriguing birds.
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Types of Deer in Missouri
Posted by admin in Missouri Animals on January 6th, 2011
The white-tailed deer are found all through out Missouri in a variety of habitats. The common name for these deer comes from their large white tails which they will raise when the animal is alarmed or scared. Only the males have antlers which is shaped like one main beam with points projecting from this main beam. As the animal gets older the number of branches or points will increase until the age of five or six years old. Then as the animal gets older the points will gradually decrease. The antlers skin derivatives that are made entirely of bone covered with skin called velvet. These animals lack the deer coverings found on animals such as cattle. The main difference is that antlers will shed each year and horns do not. This type of deer will shed their antlers in January and February.
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Types of Ducks on Missouri’s Rivers
Posted by admin in Missouri Animals on December 13th, 2010
Ducks are considered a migratory bird species. They will search great distances for a suitable habitat during fall, winter and spring seasons. If they sense extreme weather conditions or heighten danger, flocks of ducks will seem to almost disappear overnight and travel from one region to another in search of safety. There are several ducks that at some point appear in Missouri and here is a list of a few, along with a little information about each.
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Birdwatching in Missouri
Posted by admin in Missouri Animals on November 15th, 2010
While floating down one of the many rivers in Missouri, besides enjoying the great outdoors a person can also partake of some excellent bird watching opportunities. Whether in a canoe, raft or kayak, floating is a pleasurable and fun activity which provides many hours of enjoyment for people of all ages. With the clear and beautiful water, gently moving through densely wooded forests, a person is likely to see some incredible sites and make memories which will last a lifetime.
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