Wildlife

All organisms in these "kingdoms of life" have been observed at the Wilderness Science Center.

Animals

American Toad (Bufo americanus)

American Toads are 2-4" in length and have gray or brown dry bumpy skin with reddish or dark brown spots above and white skin with dark spots on the belly. They also have large poison producing parotoid glands behind each eye. They breed from March to May in shallow ponds and eat a large number of small insects for food.

Baldfaced Hornet (Dolichovespula maculata)

Baldfaced Hornets are black with ivory or yellow markings and grow to 3/4" in length. Unlike most yellowjackets and hornets that build underground nests, this species constructs large paper nest in trees.

Differential Grasshopper (Melanoplus differentialis)

Differential Grasshoppers are green and yellow with black chevrons on their hind legs. They can reach 1 3/4" in length. These grasshoppers are known to be quite numerous in grassy fields and may damage crops.

Gorgone Checkerspot (Charidryas gorgone carolata)

Gorgone Checkerspots are dark brown butterflies with light brown, orange, and white patterns on the wings. They grow up to 1 1/2" in length and feed mainly on sunflowers and other wildflowers in the aster family.

Plants

Spotted Touch-me-not (Impatiens capensis)

Spotted Touch-me-nots are soft multi-branched herbaceous plants that can grow up to 5 feet tall where they inhabit lowland streamside woods. The leaves are bluish-green and rather large while the flowers are small and red-orange. They are called "Touch-me-nots" because the fruit capsule splits and scatters its seeds when the fruit capsule dries.

Fungi

Turkey Tail (Trametes versicolor)

Turkey Tail fungus caps form fan-shaped overlapping clusters that are found growing on hardwood stumps and logs. An individual cap contains concentric rings and shades of brown. Although the fungi fruit in late summer and fall, the remaining body remains into the winter and spring. Because it is visible throughout the year, it is one of the most commonly seen fungi. Caution: Non-edible

References

Collins, J.T. (1993). Amphibians and Reptiles in Kansas, University Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.

White, S.C. & G.A. Salsbury (2000). Insects in Kansas, Kansas Department of Agriculture, Manhattan, Kansas.

Richard, J. & J. E. Heitzmann (1987). Butterflies and Moths of Missouri, Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City, Missouri.

Denison, E. (1993). Missouri Wildflowers, Missouri Department of Conservation, Jefferson City, Missouri.

B. Horn, R. Kay, and D. Abel (1993). A Guide to Kansas Mushrooms, University Press of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas.