Wetland Coffee Break

Some aquatic insects, including certain stoneflies, mayflies, caddisflies, and non-biting midges, complete their life cycles and emerge from water bodies as active adults only during the winter season. These winter-active species are often found walking on snow banks near spring-fed streams and are vitally important food sources for fish. This talk will discuss interesting life history strategies that help these insects to not only survive, but thrive during the coldest of seasons. Additionally, you’ll learn how you can volunteer to help with monitoring efforts that expand the scope of the Bugs Below Zero community science program.

Dr. Alyssa Anderson received her Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of Minnesota in 2012. She is an Associate Professor at Southwest Minnesota State University, teaching several ecology and zoology-themed courses. Anderson’s primary research interests revolve around learning about the life history dynamics of winter-active insects, especially Chironomidae, as well as the ecological importance of these organisms. 

In some low-nutrient wetlands, plants reverse the food chain and become carnivorous to meet their needs. Discover the beauty and the impressive adaptations of these charismatic Northwoods residents with naturalist Emily Stone.

Emily Stone is a naturalist by birth, training, profession, and passion. After earning a Field Naturalist master’s degree from the University of Vermont with a wetland-focused project, Emily became the Naturalist/Education Director at the Cable Natural History Museum in Cable, Wisconsin. Emily writes a weekly “Natural Connections” column published in more than 20 local and regional newspapers. Her third Natural Connections book was published in November 2025.

Genus Carex, the true sedges, form a fascinating and diverse group of plants. An evolutionary success story, Carex is the most species-rich genus in Wisconsin with over 150 species. This introductory talk will focus on field identification characteristics of widely ranging Carex species of wet open ground (wet prairie, sedge meadows, fen, marsh). The content will focus on subgenus Carex and will be useful for anyone looking to build upon their knowledge of common species.

Aaron Feggestad has been a practicing wetland professional for the past 20+ years, primarily working in Wisconsin and the Great Lakes Region as a consulting ecologist, volunteer, and educator. Fascinated by the role of Carex in natural area function, and the importance of Carex in the restoration of many types of natural communities, he is working towards a goal of cataloging nearly all the 158 species that occur within the state.