Science

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WisContext
WPM Headlines
Bryan Richards
Series: Chronic Wasting Disease In Wisconsin's Deer

Monitoring Is Key In Debate Over CWD Testing

Scott Gordon
WisContext
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has identified thousands of deer infected with chronic wasting disease over the last 17 years. But the total number of animals affected and the geographic breadth of the disease is at the heart of policy differences over how to address the disease.
Adult lily leaf beetles

Invasive Lily Leaf Beetle Poses New Challenge To Central Wisconsin Gardeners

Heather Schlesser
UW-Extension
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.
Elizabethkingia culture
Series: Elizabethkingia In Wisconsin

Geneticist Explores Relationship Between Elizabethkingia Bacteria, Mosquitoes

Lisa Margonelli
Zócalo Public Square
Exploring the history of what we do and don't know about Elizabethkingia anophelis tells a story about the curious mix of hope and danger in our bacterial companions.
ShotSpotter screen view
Series: Milwaukee Gun Violence
Series: Known Unknowns
Series: Policing Practices And Accountability In Wisconsin

Milwaukee Committed To ShotSpotter But Outcomes, Data Remain Elusive

Scott Gordon
WisContext
As cities around the United States struggle to respond to gun violence in neighborhoods where residents may not trust law enforcement, dozens of police departments are turning to a gunshot-detection system called ShotSpotter.
Brown marmorated stink bug
Series: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

Can Biological Control Take A Bite Out Of The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug?

PJ Liesch
UW-Extension
Nature is full of checks and balances. Of the roughly 1 million species of insects known to science, there's an amazing intricacy to the food web.
Brown marmorated stink bug on an apple
Series: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

More Information About The Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

Kristian Knutsen
WisContext
Karen Faster
WisContext
Scott Gordon
WisContext
Though the brown marmorated stink bug has only been spotted in Wisconsin over the last seven years, entomologists tracking the species suggest that it may become a prominent problem for farmers and gardeners. Links to resources and more information about it follow.
Brown marmorated stink bug
Series: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Challenges Pest-Control Strategies

Scott Gordon
WisContext
Karen Faster
WisContext
Kristian Knutsen
WisContext
As growers and agriculture researchers have learned during the brown marmorated stink bug's 20-year migration across the U.S., managing the pest is difficult.
Comparison of stink bug species
Series: Brown Marmorated Stink Bug

Extensive Research Devoted To Understanding Brown Marmorated Stink Bug's Behavior

Scott Gordon
WisContext
Karen Faster
WisContext
Kristian Knutsen
WisContext
As an invasive species in North America, the brown marmorated stink bug is the subject of ongoing scientific study, particularly by researchers in regions the species colonized.
Russ Groves

Pesticides Pose Challenges To Vegetable Growers As Markets Change, Insects Adapt

Karen Faster
WisContext
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.
Cory Cochart
Series: CAFOs, Manure And Water

Manure Irrigation Debate Arcs Over Wisconsin

Scott Gordon
WisContext
In recent years, the smell, environmental impacts and human health risks of spraying liquefied manure over crop fields has raised questions and concerns among a growing number of Wisconsin residents.