Gardeners in central Wisconsin should be on the lookout for the lily leaf beetle and be ready to help prevent it from spreading around the state. Bright red in color, this invasive insect is turning up in Marathon and Portage counties.

Dane County has rich farmland, dedicated farmers and gardeners, and some of the best homegrown food in the country. But not everybody is able to enjoy the region's bounty.

Wisconsin is a national leader in growing and processing specialty crops that include sweet corn, green beans, peas, potatoes and, of course, cranberries. These plants attract plenty of pests that eat and damage the crops, making their management a primary concern of farmers.

As the groundwater education specialist for the Center for Watershed Science and Education at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point, Kevin Masarik gets a lot of questions from Wisconsin residents about their well water and how to go about testing its safety. Here are answers to several specific questions.