June Settles In: Fawns, Milkweed & Long Evenings

"The Ozark Nature Journal — Central Missouri Ozarks (Rolla Anchor)

Week of June 7–13, 2026

The first full week of June arrives with the Ozarks settled firmly into early summer. The longest days of the year are now close at hand, and daylight stretches well into the evening. Hardwood canopies are complete across most hillsides, leaving woodland trails noticeably cooler than nearby fields.

Recent rounds of rain have kept soils moist despite increasing warmth. Creeks remain clear and flowing steadily, though water levels vary from one watershed to the next. Along gravel bars, sycamore and river birch are casting broader shade than they were even two weeks ago.

Roadside vegetation is beginning to hide fence wire and culvert mouths. Native grasses are climbing fast, blackberry fruit is starting to darken in sunny patches, and elderberry blooms still brighten wetter ground.

After sunset, fireflies are now common across much of the region. Their flashes drift through low grass, creek bottoms, and field edges while tree frogs and insects provide a steady background chorus. The seasonal handoff from late spring is complete.

Start Date: Sunday, June 7, 2026
Sunrise: 5:45 AM
Sunset: 8:27 PM
Daylight Length: 14 hours, 42 minutes
Daylight Gain Since Last Week: ~7 minutes
Moon Phase: Waning Gibbous

Warm and humid conditions continue through the week with periodic opportunities for showers and thunderstorms. Afternoon temperatures should generally reach the upper 70s to low 80s, with overnight lows remaining mild in the lower 60s. Soil moisture remains favorable for gardens, though rainfall totals may vary considerably across short distances.

Common milkweed is beginning to show more open flower clusters in sunny fields and roadsides. Elderberry remains in bloom near creeks and low ground. Oxeye daisy and fleabane continue along gravel roads and disturbed soils.

Blackberry patches are transitioning from bloom to fruit. In shaded woods, mayapple colonies are beginning their gradual summer decline while ferns remain dense beneath the canopy.

An eastern kingbird spent much of the week working from the top wire of a pasture fence, repeatedly launching out after flying insects before returning to the same perch. Their sharp calls are easy to pick out above the steady insect noise of June.

Kingbirds become especially noticeable this time of year as hay fields, pasture edges, and open clearings produce increasing numbers of insects.

A young white-tailed deer was observed standing motionless along the edge of a brushy pasture shortly after sunrise. Early June is prime fawning season across much of the Ozarks, and small fawns often remain hidden in tall grass while does feed nearby.

Common milkweed is one of the most recognizable native plants of early summer in the Ozarks. By June, its broad leaves and rounded clusters of pinkish-purple flowers begin standing out along roadsides, old fields, pasture edges, and unmowed fence rows.

Despite its ordinary name, milkweed plays an important role in the local landscape. Its flowers attract a wide variety of pollinators, including native bees, butterflies, wasps, and beetles. The plant is best known, however, for its relationship with monarch butterflies. Monarchs lay their eggs on milkweed, and their caterpillars depend on the plant as a food source during early development.

Milkweed spreads through both seed and underground roots, often forming small colonies that return year after year. The white sap released when stems are broken gives the plant its common name.

By late summer, the flowers will give way to large seed pods. As autumn approaches, these pods split open and release silky seeds that drift across fields and creek bottoms on the wind.

This time of year is ideal for learning where milkweed grows. Marking patches now can help prevent accidental mowing later in the season and provides valuable habitat for pollinators throughout the summer.

Warm-season planting remains fully open.

Direct sow:
• Southern peas
• Additional beans
• Pumpkins
• Late squash plantings

Transplant:
• Basil
• Sweet potatoes
• Additional peppers

Mulch continues to provide significant benefits as temperatures rise. Check tomato plants regularly after humid weather for signs of fungal disease, and maintain airflow around dense growth.

Milkweed patches are now easy to identify and worth marking before mowing.

• Fireflies are now visible in many yards before full darkness.
• Blackberry fruit is sizing up quickly in sunny patches and should begin coloring soon.
• Creek crossings remain cooler than surrounding uplands during afternoon heat.
• Dew is lingering longer in unmowed grass.
• The summer solstice is less than two weeks away."