MDC Runge Nature Center hosts Powerful Pollinators event .

Learn more about Missouri’s butterflies, wasps, and bees with MDC staff July 29

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- The Missouri Department of Conservation’s Runge Conservation Nature Center will host Powerful Pollinators, Friday, July 29, from 6 to 9 p.m. This free event is open to all ages with no registration required.

Start the weekend by learning the important role insect pollinators play in nature. Meet costumed insects along the trails and discover why they are peculiar pollinators. Learn about “beautiful butterflies,” “wonderful wasps,” and “busy bees” at different stations. Enjoy a snack provided by pollinators while participating in a variety of activities.

Nature staff reminds event goers to come with water bottles, bug spray, and hiking shoes. 

For questions, call Runge Conservation Nature Center at 573-526-5544. For information on other upcoming events and programs at the Nature Center, visit mdc.mo.gov/events.

Runge Nature Center is located on Hwy 179 in Jefferson City approximately .5 mile north of Hwy 50. Building hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday with extended hours until 8 p.m. on Thursdays. The building is closed on Sunday and Monday. The outdoor trails are open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Insect-O-Rama shows bugs can be fun

Free event on September 12 highlights insect roles in nature

St. Joseph, Mo. – Take a close look at insects and you’ll see a fascinating world of colors, shapes, sizes and interactive roles with nature and people. What would a world be without butterflies? The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will host Insect-O-Rama 10 a.m. to Noon on Saturday, Sept. 12, at the MDC Northwest Regional Office, 701 James McCarthy Drive in St. Joseph.

   All activities are free and fun for all ages. Insects and exhibits about them will be on display. Experts will answer questions about bugs that are fun and those that are pesky.

   Insects are a cornerstone in nature’s complex ecology. They are important food for fish and wildlife. But they also pollinate food crops important to people.

   Insect-O-Rama offers participants a chance to learn how they can help provide habitat for desirable insects such as the monarch butterfly. The MDC Northwest Regional Office is on the campus of Missouri Western State University. Visitors can also enjoy other nature exhibits in the office and some nearby hiking trails.

   For information about Insect-O-Rama, call 816-271-3100. To learn about other MDC programs that connect people with nature, visit http://www.mdc.mo.gov.