As fall continues to roll in and temperatures start dropping into the 40s in the morning, hummingbirds, like others, are starting to migrate.

“This fall, millions of Americans will make an annual pilgrimage to a retail outlet to purchase a vegetable they, unfortunately, are unlikely to eat,” said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein of pumpkins.

University of Missouri Extension will offer a three-night webinar series, “Establishing and Maintaining Food Plots for Wildlife.”

SMITHVILLE — Every Wednesday morning from April through September, Paradise Pointe Golf Complex in Smithville hosts a group of women golfers who love a good time and an enjoyable round of golf, according to the group.

Woodpeckers are powerful birds that climb tree trunks and use their beaks like jackhammers.

Missouri is blessed with a variety of trees, shrubs and vines that make the fall season come alive with color. Leaves change color at different times, so a fall color season in Missouri may last four to six weeks.

Donald Culross Peattie is best known for his eloquent, informative and entertaining books about trees, "A Natural History of Trees of Eastern and Central North America and A Natural History of Western Trees." The American botanist’s essays on the relations between trees and people over the c…

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reminds drivers that deer are more active and create hazards for Missouri motorists this time of year.

Busy rural roads are full of hazards in the fall, said University of Missouri Extension health and safety specialist Karen Funkenbusch. The often rushed harvest season puts extra traffic on narrow, gravel roads early in the morning and late at night, according to a press release.

The Missouri Department of Conservation continues with its virtual programming.

With increased visitation at Missouri state parks and historic sites, it’s important for visitors to remember to assist park staff in protecting and preserving the state’s natural and cultural resources, according to a press release.

“Not out of the woods yet” takes on new meaning during fall, when chainsaw accidents increase.

Farmers tend to put their families and farm before themselves, but neither can operate unless farmers take care of themselves physically and mentally, said Karen Funkenbusch, University of Missouri Extension health and safety specialist.

While traveling to distant forests may be enjoyable to find eye-catching fall color, a variety of native grasses, wildflowers, and shrubs can add color to a homeowner's own yard in autumn. Plus these plants are now habitats that benefit insects and wildlife at other times in the year.

The Missouri Department of Conservation urges all Missourians to check trees for Asian long-horned beetle. This invasive, wood-boring insect can feed on more than 20 different species of trees common to Missouri, according to a press release. 

LIBERTY — From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18, naturalists and volunteers at Martha Lafite Thompson Nature Sanctuary, 407 N. La Frenz Road, will be celebrating Monarch butterflies.

Landowners and homeowners should be able to tolerate some wildlife damage, but they should also take proactive steps to prevent problems, said Robert Pierce, University of Missouri Extension fisheries and wildlife specialist.

Too much irrigation or heavy rainfall after a dry period results in rapid uptake of water in plants. This causes ripening fruit to split vertically or crack concentrically, said MU Extension horticulturist Michele Warmund.

Tarantulas are the largest spider native to Missouri.

The University of Missouri Extension will offer a three-week fall vegetable gardening webinar series on from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursdays, Sept. 9, 16 and 23.

As fall approaches this year, think about a new form of family entertainment. Why not swap the television for a bird feeder? Feeding birds can be entertaining as well as a boost for the state’s feathered friends.

Need trees and shrubs for the landscape? Go native with the Missouri Department of Conservation. Native trees and shrubs can help improve wildlife habitat and soil and water conservation while also improving the appearance and value of private property, according to a press release. 

The warm, sunny days and cool nights of fall in Missouri provide ideal growing conditions for cool-season vegetables such as Chinese cabbage, said University of Missouri Extension horticulturist David Trinklein in a press release.