By Holly Carter Springfield, Missouri | October 3–5, 2025 Hosted by the Southwest Missouri Herpetological Society (SMHS) After a long pause following COVID-19 disruptions, the Midwest Herpetological Symposium continues its comeback, drawing herpetology enthusiasts from across the region. This year’s event in Springfield, Missouri, offered a weekend of insightful presentations, social events, and networking among members of the Midwest’s herp societies. Friday Icebreaker SMHS President Nathan...

By Holly Carter As taxonomy continues to evolve, we'll use current species names for clarity. Kayla Duff started off the evening with Helena, her vibrant Trinket Snake (Coelognathus helena) from India, a slender species reaching about 3–4 feet in length. She also brought her striking Blue Beauty Snake (Orthriophis taeniurus), a long-bodied species from Vietnam that can grow up to 9 feet. Holly Carter shared a powerful Black-tailed Cribo (Drymarchon melanurus), a fast-moving predator native to...

Indiana State's Bat Festival teaches about bats' importance. The Hoosier Herpetological Society joined with live animals and presentations.