From bats to bugs or fly fishing, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the city of St. Joseph will partner for a series of free Discover Nature — Fishing and nature programs this summer at Krug Park. The series will start on May 24 and ending on Sept. 20. This is the second year MDC has partnered with St. Joseph parks to offer the series. All of the events will be at the parks amphitheater and Krug Park Lagoon, 3500 St. Joseph Avenue.

“We’ll help them learn they don’t have to leave the state to see exciting things,” said Jada Tressler, MDC naturalist.

On May 24, Tressler will kick off the series with a presentation 7 to 8 p.m. on Missouri’s conservation success stories during the past 80 years. Then on the third Thursday of the following summer months, Tressler and MDC staff will lead programs such as introduction to trapping, mountain lions in Missouri, the creepy crawly world of insects, and bat watching. A conservation agent will be at each program to answer any questions about regulations or Missouri’s outdoors. All the nature programs are on a walk-in basis and do not require a reservation.

A hello summer Discover Nature — Fishing clinic will kick off the fishing programs 7 to 8 p.m. on June 7 at the Krug Park Lagoon, which MDC stocks with fish. Tori McNutt, MDC angler education assistant, will lead the clinic and those that follow on the first Thursday of each month. Those sessions will include a kids fishing derby, a fish cleaning and cooking demonstration, and a fly fishing workshop. MDC will provide instruction and gear for fishing in the lagoon.

Fishing sessions are free but they do require advance registration and limited spots are available. To register, visit http://huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/fishing/events, scroll to the date and event on the list, pull up the page and mouse click on register. Or, call the MDC Northwest Regional Office at 816-271-3100.