Get Out!

• Look up at the night sky. The Perseid meteor shower peaks August 11–13, usually with 50–75 meteors an hour.
• Baby common Snapping turtles begin to hatch in August.
• Sharpen your archery or firearms shooting skills at staffed and unstaffed shooting ranges around the state. Find one near you at short.mdc.mo.gov/ZZF.
• Look but don’t touch. The wheel bug can give you a nasty bite if you pick it up.
• Yuck — what’s that?! Dog vomit slime mold appears on landscaping mulch in hot, humid weather.
• Pick up some pawpaws. These “Indiana bananas” ripen in late August.

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

Critter Corner

Spothanded Crayfish

You might see this big crayfish in any Ozark stream or river except the Osage and Neosho. In the White River basin, it lives in the North Fork and Bryant Creek. A black spot on each pincer near the base of the moveable finger proves you’ve found the spothanded crayfish. It is a strong swimmer. At night, it grazes on algae, and it’s known to feed on dead fish. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/field-guide.