Fields of yellow: Sunflowers at Maintz Wildlife Preserve

Ben Matthews and James Baughn

Saturday, August 1, 2020

Located about 30 minutes from Cape Girardeau, the Maintz Wildlife Preserve annually plants sunflowers to feed birds and other wildlife in the area. This year the Missouri Department of Conservation has planted eight fields of sunflowers in Maintz near the intersection of County Roads 471 and 472.

See James Baughn's blog for driving directions.

From left, Mollie Lucas adjusts her hat while standing in as a model for her friend and photographer Brieanna Barnett on Wednesday, July 29, 2020, at Maintz Wildlife Preserve in Oak Ridge. (Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian)
A honey bee perches on a sunflower floret Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at Maintz Wildlife Preserve in Oak Ridge. (Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian)
A honey bee flies to a sunflower Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at Maintz Wildlife Preserve in Oak Ridge. (Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian)
A bumble bee flies to a sunflower Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at Maintz Wildlife Preserve in Oak Ridge. (Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian)

A bumble bee perches on a sunflower's disc florets Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at Maintz Wildlife Preserve in Oak Ridge. (Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian)
A honey bee flies through a field of sunflowers Tuesday, July 28, 2020, at Maintz Wildlife Preserve in Oak Ridge. (Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian)
A lightning bolts strikes in the distance behind a field a sunflowers Wednesday, July 29, 2020, at Maintz Wildlife Preserve in Oak Ridge. (Ben Matthews ~ Southeast Missourian)
A sunflower head begins to emerge Sunday, July 26, 2020, at Maintz Wildlife Preserve. (James Baughn ~ Southeast Missourian)
A field of sunflowers provides a backdrop for one of the fishing lakes at Maintz Wildlife Preserve. (James Baughn ~ Southeast Missourian)

One of the larger fields of sunflowers is located a short walk from Parking Lot #4 off County Road 471 at Maintz Wildlife Preserve. (James Baughn ~ Southeast Missourian)
A map posted at a parking area shows the locations where sunflowers were planted this year at Maintz Wildlife Preserve. (James Baughn ~ Southeast Missourian)