Francis Skalicky

It’s true – wasps can benefit humans

By Francis Skalicky Probably no insect puts a bigger scare into humans than the wasp. Bees rank high on some folks’ fright list, but they’re often given a break because of their well-known – and much valued – pollination work. Some people include spiders on their insect scare list, but they don’t qualify because of…

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Prairie Massasauga rattlesnake

Although rattlesnakes won’t win many wildlife popularity contests, everyone who loves Missouri’s outdoors should be rooting for the Prairie Massasauga rattlesnake to hold on in the state. As is the case with many other wildlife species in decline, the story of the Prairie Massasauga rattlesnake’s trouble is a tale of disappearing habitat. A reduction in…

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