Sunflowers and Opossums

Fall is in the air in the Great Plains, and the signs include shorter days, cooler mornings, brilliant yellow sunflowers and dispersing mammals. In this episode, Drew and Joe discuss sunflowers, the value that they provide to wildlife, why we see these beautiful plants in some places and not others. The conversation then takes a turn to focus on opossum biology and management. Resources discussed in this episode: KDWP 2023 Summer Roadside Survey Report: https://ksoutdoors.com/Services/Research-Publications/Wildlife-Research-Surveys Virginia Opossum Diet/Ecological Trap Studies: https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full/10.1098/rspb.2009.1159?casa_token=XMw9PomAH2IAAAAA%3ABGDOWaXUul7IY_9cNhLG44Uontx_dM1zrPdmnWmUaacvYgb02Ucvw7A3OlCO3VSRbRvYusH5r11mk0TC https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Cecilia-Hennessy/publication/353264681_Are_Virginia_opossums_really_ecological_traps_for_ticks_Groundtruthing_laboratory_observations/links/60f733642bf3553b29ffba62/Are-Virginia-opossums-really-ecological-traps-for-ticks-Groundtruthing-laboratory-observations.pdf?origin=journalDetail&_tp=eyJwYWdlIjoiam91cm5hbERldGFpbCJ9 Dr. Joe Gerken and Dr. Drew Ricketts are extension specialists and faculty members in the Wildlife and Outdoor Enterprise Management Program at Kansas State University. Find out more about the program at https://hnr.k-state.edu/academics/undergraduate-programs/wildlife-outdoor-management.html Watch the podcast on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/@KSEWildlife