#jeff hoofer

[tcm]

Minnelli Magic and The Band Wagon By Constance Cherise

Period piece perfection, attention to detail and an impeccable eye. You simply cannot rival Oscar winner and three-time Golden Globe winner Vincente Minnelli during the height of his career. It was as if the musical Technicolor coming-of-age was waiting for his destined arrival. But, what else would you expect from the former art director of Radio City Music Hall? There, he designed and eventually directed monthly stage shows (Minnelli designed the iconic Parade of Wooden Soldiers costume, still in use for the annual Radio City Christmas Spectacular) before his imminent second coming to Hollywood.

There is a bevy of activity in MGM’s THE BAND WAGON (‘53), which easily turn this entry into a three-page essay. An ideal introduction for a novice, THE BAND WAGON is a visual encapsulation of the glorious movie musical as well as a quintessential vehicle for Minnelli to once again prove his raison d'être. Comprised of a “hundred or more little things,” THE BAND WAGON is a sheer explosion of joy with its ideal cast of characters, visually captivating sets and driving musical orchestrations which move the film along at an even pace, producing the industry standard of “That's Entertainment.” Its jaunty Broadway opening score sounds as if we’re sitting in a vaudeville theatre enjoying a live pit orchestra and on its own, is enough to lift spirits. The plot is simple. A washed-up hoofer attempts a comeback on the Broadway stage. Comedic pandemonium ensues.

No other film probably reflects Minnelli's former Radio City stage experience more than this backstage musical. The rehearsal scene where sections of the stage revolve, lift and lower, stage queues get confused and all goes amusingly wrong, was no doubt a reference to Radio City's elevator hydraulic system. Minnelli’s expertise in stage design is given an appropriate nod with the Proscenium Theatre models that appear on the shelf behind the couch in Jeff Cordova’s yellow reception room. However, this is not Minnelli's only production that offers us an insider's perspective. A film removing the Hollywood gloss, equally as exquisite, even in black and white, is the wickedly fun THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL (‘52).

The majority of the main characters were based on some aspect of themselves or real-life people. Characters Lily and Lester Marton were based on screenwriters/lyricists Betty Comden and Adolph Green, who were already industry colleagues with Minnelli, as both also toiled on Broadway before arriving in Hollywood. Fred Astaire honestly felt that Cyd Charisse was too tall for him and his angst was written into the script. Oscar Levant was a true-life hypochondriac.

Of course, humor is not lost wherein the opening scene an auctioneer references Swinging Down to Panama as an amusing referral to the Astaire and Rogers film, FLYING DOWN TO RIO (‘33). Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney’s backyard musicals receive a playful jab when Lester (Oscar Levant) heartily states, "Why can't us kids get together and put on ourselves a show?” Our introduction to Jeff Cordova (Jack Buchanan) through the theatre poster—Jeff Cordova presents, adapted from... Jeff Cordova, starring Jeff Cordova, (pause, pan out and down) directed by Jeff Cordova— is the ideal introduction to the character’s omnipresent ego. Listening to the vocals of “You and the Night and the Music” with its embellished bravado, along with the excess of explosives could cause an individual to start coughing in sympathy. The film is brimming with sophisticated comedy, surely inspired by cocktail-charged, jovial conversations in smoke-filled rooms.

As usual, Minnelli’s sets are vibrant and imaginative. Cordova's home has an elegant Paul Williams aura. Even the doors are glamorous. Each room is painted in various colors to reflect different moods, including the ever-present Minnelli Red. In the theatre, where we are first introduced to Gabrielle (Cyd Charisse), the surreal stage backdrop is dreamy and existential with its combination of calming hues. I always look forward to that simplistically stunning scene. 

Speaking of Charisse, where was costume designer Mary Ann Nyberg all of our lives? It took me some time to realize the intricacies of the black A-line dress Charisse wears when arriving at Cordova’s home, more than likely because I was coveting her green gloves. Fashion fans, please gather. A scalloped black lace top is coupled with a green A-line underskirt bottom that is overlapped with black lace. The entire dress is covered in shimmering green sparkles. It is delicately romantic and ingenious all together, and is the most beautiful costume in the film, until the “New Sun in the Sky” number.

Nyburg hits the bullseye, creating a depiction of the sun manifested in the form of a dress. She then adds a red tulle arm puff. It is perfection until Charisse peels herself from a full-length jacket to reveal her dazzling red dress in the “Girl Hunt” ballet, which she claimed was her favorite costume. Charise performs an iconic dance in a nightclub once again as she did with Gene Kelly in SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN (‘52) and once again, those legs! Nyberg isn't done. The final scene finds Nanette Fabray in a blue and black A-line tulle gown and Charisse in a sweetheart neckline, moss green taffeta, fitted, biased cut gown, with so many details this will turn into a run-on sentence.

Many classic musical fans consider “Dancing in the Dark” one of the most romantic scenes put on film. After a contentious working relationship Tony (Astaire) and Gabrielle must learn if they truly can dance together to foster a hit show, which of course they do at night in the park, alone. Naturally, it is also the budding of their love affair. There was one notable scene that ended on the cutting room floor, “Two-Faced Woman,” and I am convinced it was a mistake to remove because its double-sided origami-like set design is exquisitely unique. However, it is easily found online and absolutely worth watching.

A barrage of aesthetically lush scenes appear in Minnelli films, executed so dynamically well you don't consciously realize how much is being absorbed and that is his exact tool of entrapment. A visual assault of the senses that naturally entices into his vortex. Critic Derek Malcolm had it exactly right when he said “The more you look at it, the more perfect it seems. Hollywood doesn't make films like this now because public taste has changed. But it's doubtful if they could anyway.”

It is doubtful that today's Hollywood could conjure the artistry of THE BANDWAGON, as it retains the same timeless light-hearted exuberance over 65 years later. Not only is that exceptional directing, it is pure Minnelli magic.

#Fred Astaire #cyd charisse #musicals #1950s #fashion #style #old hollywood #dancing #theater #performance #Constance Cherise

[heatherrosebabcock]

My Debut Novel Filthy Sugar is Available Now!

Set in the mid-1930s, Filthy Sugar tells the story of Wanda Whittle, a nineteen year old dreamer who models fur coats in an uptown department store but who lives in a crowded rooming house with her family in the “slums” behind the city’s marketplace. Bored with the daily grind, Wanda finds inspiration in the celluloid fantasies of the Busby Berkeley musicals, Greta Garbo dramas and Jean Harlow comedies. After a chance encounter with the mysterious Mr. Manchester, proprietor of the Apple Bottom burlesque theatre, Wanda is thrust into a world of glitter and grit, where the guys talk tough and the dames are tough. On her journey from rags to riches and back again, Wanda experiences a sexual awakening and achieves personal independence as she discovers that a girl doesn’t need a lot of sugar to be sensational!

 Advance Praise for Filthy Sugar:

 “Erotic, compelling and full of richly textured characters, Heather Babcock’s storytelling is equal parts moxie and poetry—tinted with the heartbroken nostalgia of memory and lost dreams; and sparkling with striking, evocative imagery”. 

– Cate McKim, Life with More Cowbell (lifewithmorecowbell.com)

  “I truly hope this exquisitely written debut novel will enjoy the love and attention it deserves. Superb, poetic and cinematic, Filthy Sugar will transport you into another world and you won’t want to leave!”

—Lisa de Nikolits, author of No Fury Like That and Rotten Peaches

 “Heather Babcock’s novel, Filthy Sugar, artfully takes the reader into the Jazz Age of flirty flappers and boozy philosophers.”

– Pat Connors, Toronto Poet

 “Heather Babcock’s Filthy Sugar is both a sweet and saucy journey behind the curtain. A time traveled, tantalizing, and tumultuous tale, to be sure.”

—Valentino Assenza, Co-Host/Co-Producer HOWL, CIUT 89.5FM

 “Heather Babcock has captured the pure essence of the 1930s with eloquent, colourful words that flourish across the pages. You literally feel as if you are part of the audience in the burlesque house, hooting and hollering as Wanda wiggles across the stage”.

—Lizzie Violet, writer, poet & spoken word artist.

 “Filthy Sugar is a real time-travelling excursion. Heather Babcock brings alive the era of Trilbys, hoofers and two-bit scriveners with vividness, imagination and striking description. A good read – and how!”

—Jeff Cottrill, writer, actor, journalist and spoken-word artist

 “Underneath this camp and well-researched historical novel is a strong feminist story of the multiplicities of female sexuality, of an unstripped agency and, in the final scene, an empowerment that will leave you clapping and laughing. Masterfully written with the sensibility of a poet, Heather Babcock is a writer to watch.”

—Brenda Clews, author of Tidal Fury and Fugue in Green

Order your copy of Filthy Sugar today from Inanna Publications:

 https://www.inanna.ca/product/filthy-sugar/

Or ask for it at your local bookstore! 

#debut author #spring 2020 author #CanLit #1930s #historical fiction #new historical fiction #jean harlow #greta garbo #1920s #femlitcan #goodreads #burlesque

[scenearoundtown]

I highly recommend the new comedy Renovations For Six making it’s American debut at Theatre 40 in Beverly Hills  successfully kicking off the company’s 54th season!   The colorful accomplished  cast is terrific in this spicy new ensemble written by Canadian playwright Norm Foster and directed with pizzazz & precision by comedy legend Howard Storm (Mork & Mindy, Laverne & Shirley, Taxi).  Equipped with great comedic timing Renovations for Six stars Rebecca Driscoll as sweet fitness instructor Shayna Perkins, Lane Compton as slick ambitious  furniture store manager/ husband Grant Perkins, Gail Johnston as bored former hoofer says what’s on her mind Billie Falterman, David Hunt Stafford as earnest husband/senior furniture saleman/former hoofer  Wing Falterman,  Martin Thompson as droll author Maurice Dudet and Mona Lee Wylde as his wife Veronica Dunn Dudet  a very observant  psychiatrist with a very sharp tongue.    The premise is simple...  in order to meet new people a  recently transplanted young couple  invites 2 more couples over for drinks, appetizers and socializing. Coincidentally all 3 couples are renovating their homes but in time end up renovating their lives.  Kudos to great work by artistic director/producer David Hunt Stafford,  set designer Jeff G. Rack, sound designer Joseph “Sloe” Slawinkski, lighting designer Brandon Baruch, costume designer Michele Young,  stage manager Don Solosan and assistant director Roger K. Weiss.  The 2 act must see comedy runs till August 18th, Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm.  Tickets are $35. A money saving season subscription is $180.  For more information and reservations call 310-364-0535 or visit www.theatre40.org .  Theatre 40 is located on the campus of Beverly Hills School with mega free parking.  Thank you to publicist Philip Sokoloff for the invite.  Renovations For Six is smart, sassy and full of surprises...  Enjoy!  HH

[shirlleycoyle]

The polar vortex should kill bugs, right? Not so much.

The post office suspended mail delivery. Schools and campuses across the Midwest closed down. Temperatures in Chicago, Madison and other Great Lakes cities dipped lower than those in Antarctica.

We’re ok. There’s nothing to see here. How’s everyone doing? pic.twitter.com/g0VuDIiU6q

— UW–Madison Science (@UWMadScience) January 30, 2019 

Surely that means some of the peskiest insects we know don’t stand a chance in the polar vortex, right?

Well, not so fast, says University of Wisconsin–Madison bug guy, PJ Liesch.

“The cold weather will undoubtedly have some impacts, although it’s difficult to predict at this point,” Liesch says. “The snow we’ve received over the last few weeks has created an excellent insulating layer that will protect many overwintering insects from the full force of the cold.”

Students and pedestrians walk along snow-covered sidewalks near Agricultural Hall at the University of Wisconsin-Madison during a winter storm that brought several inches of snow to campus on Jan. 23, 2019. (Photo by Bryce Richter /UW-Madison)

So what does that mean for the emerald ash borer, responsible for wiping out several thousand square miles of ash trees across Wisconsin, and tens of millions of ash trees in 30 states?

“Insects like the emerald ash borer will likely be impacted by the cold, but their reproductive capacity should allow them to ‘catch up’ in the long-run,” Liesch explains.

What about ticks, those creepy arachnids infamous for carrying diseases like Lyme, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and even red meat allergies? (Why, yes, you can find Lone Star ticks in Wisconsin and they’re really disgusting.*)

Liesch delivers some more bad news: “Ticks overwinter down amongst leaf litter, meaning that they should be well insulated at this point.”

Well, surely those smelly, annoying stink bugs will perish in the arctic blast … right?

Turns out, they’re just more likely to cozy up next to us as we huddle for survival in our heated homes.

“The invasive brown marmorated stink bug, which has been a nuisance to many Wisconsinites, likes to invade homes and other structures which would provide sufficient warmth during this cold spell,” Liesch says.

Adult brown marmorated stink bug. Photo Credit: PJ Liesch, UW Insect Diagnostic Lab

Ok, ok. Mosquitoes. We had a really hellish year here in southern Wisconsin last year, given the record-breaking flooding. So this deep freeze will give us the break we deserve …

She can’t yet say for sure, but probably not, says UW–Madison Entomology Professor, Susan Paskewitz, co-director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Midwest Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Disease: “We have a good snow cover and usually that should give some insulation down where the eggs are overwintering.”

While there is some potentially good news — “I’d expect that insects overwintering in more exposed locations (such as exposed egg masses) or recent invaders from more southern areas would be impacted the most,” Liesch says — it sounds like we’re just going to have to find ways to make do with these cold conditions and remember that summer, and its bugs, will be here before we know it.

Hoofer Sailing Club members bring their windsurfing boards and sailboats in for the evening near the Memorial Union Terrace at UW–Madison. (Photo by Jeff Miller/UW-Madison)

*No really, read this: –Nymphs and larvae of the lone star tick will often feed on humans, and can sometimes be present in large numbers.  These are sometimes called “seed ticks” in the southern USA.  It is not uncommon for a person to pick up 20 to several hundred seed ticks at a time.

Source: http://bit.ly/2GbYVls

For more info about insects and insect-borne diseases and invasions:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Ticks: https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/

Midwest Center of Excellence for Vector Borne Disease: http://mcevbd.wisc.edu/

University of Wisconsin–Madison Insect Diagnostic Lab: http://labs.russell.wisc.edu/insectlab/

United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/resources/pests-diseases/hungry-pests/the-threat/emerald-ash-borer/emerald-ash-borer-beetle

The polar vortex should kill bugs, right? Not so much. syndicated from https://triviaqaweb.wordpress.com/feed/

[directorslounge]

MITTE MEDIA FESTIVAL

CINEMATIC CHIMERA – DIRECTORS LOUNGE INVADES FATA MORGANA

Program II: Friday, April 20, 8:00 pm – 10.00 pm and beyond Fata Morgana Gallery

Here, DL will be doing a double-dig into its box of flickering tricks, with a program of shorts from both the Berlin International Directors Lounge Festival as well as the Urban Research side of things. There will be new projections as well, including, rumour has it, a mad monkey and film art that literally leaps into the room. Saying more would be telling.... Performers of the night include Tristan Honsinger (cello), Izumi Ose (melodion), Moeko Yamazaki (taiko drum) and the very odd Woody Hoofer (indescribable).

Curated by Klaus W. Eisenlohr and Kenton Turk

Andreas Gogol, Xarussel, 2017, DE, 7:02 Angela Christlieb, Dein Falsches Spiel, 2017, DE, 3:13 Cecelia Chapman, Knuckleshop, 2014 USA, 00:58 Bernd Luetzeler, Untitled, 2017, DE, 8:32 Petra Lottje, Blinde Flecken, 2018, DE, 3:56 Gabriele Stellbaum, Close Huddle, 2017, DE, 4:30 Henry Gwiazda, Knowledge, 2017, USA, 3:05 Verena Kyselka, Omani Songbook, 2016, DE, 13:18 Eric Stewart, Helios, 2018, USA, 5:01

Max Sacker (DT) Belle de Lyon, 10:00, 2012 Jimmy Grima (MT) L-Iblah (The Fool) 10:00 2013 Oded Arad (IL) Bartholomew, 09:08, 2012 Karl F. Stewart  (DT/US) Animaux Découpages, 04:33, 2012 Hiroki Mano (JP) Spiritual Meetin', 05:26, 2016 Performance with Tristan Honsinger (cello), Moeko Yamazaki (taiko drum), Izumi Ose (melodion) and Woody Hoofer.

complete DL at Mitte Media Festival program here

Andreas Gogol (DE) Xarussel, 2017, 7:02 

“an abstraction of moving reality - I filmed with b&w super8 and Mini DV at the Berlin Alexanderplatz x-mas fairground … later I discovered shots of the birds from the 16mm Found Footage studies … a friend gave me exposed & expired color super8 material - during the editing process arose a new form and cinematic image structure with different levels of perception & realities - what I see is not what I hear.” Andreas Gogol

Angela Christlieb (DE) Dein Falsches Spiel, 2017, 3:13 Music video mit Christian Wirlitsch

Cecelia Chapman (US) Knuckleshop, 2014, 00:58 Knuckleshop is adapted from the mystery envelope of elevator diagrams and schematic sex sketches of Jeff Crouch. Mr.E series 2008, music: Christa Hunter.

Bernd Luetzeler (DE) Untitled, 2017, 8:32

Things galore. Shopping galore. Profits galore. Bangalore! The streetscape of every Indian city and town is - apart from crowds and vehicles - mainly dominated by products. The bazaar is no longer limited to a certain square or building, it expands into all other parts of the city and claims a large percentage of the available public space.

Petra Lottje (DE) Blinde Flecken, 2018, 3:56 Dieser Kurzfilm basiert auf dem deutschen Dokumentarfilm "Die Kinder sind tot" (2003). Es geht um den Fall einer Frau, die im Sommer 1999 ihre beiden Kleinkinder tagelang in der Wohnung zurückließ, wo sie verdursteten. Ich wähle prägnante Sätze aus dem Film, löse sie vom Bild und spreche sie mit einem Schauspieler nach.

Gabriele Stellbaum (DE) Close Huddle, 2017, 4:30

What Close Huddle depicts, is a highly uncanny setting, in which we encounter mind control not as a dystopian fiction but as actualized nature, as a distinct futurity, inscribed in our every day experience of the contemporary.

Henry Gwiazda (US) Knowledge, 2017, 3:05 My work is about the choreography of reality. It's about the way everything moves and is interconnected to create beauty. Each small, choreographed scene can be appreciated for itself, but on subsequent viewings, takes on a separate meaning. They become metaphors for our lives, our dreams and ourselves.

Verena Kyselka (DE) Omani Songbook, 2016, 13:18

Traditional Omani songs reflect desires, longings, landscape and the life in it. Emotions which seem quickly lost in a rapidly evolving society. These feelings are visualized in video collages

Eric Stewart (US) Helios, 2018, 5:01

Whispering to plants with motors and oscillators

Max Sacker (DT) Belle de Lyon, 10:00, 2012 For anyone that loves sex, dreams and the French New Wave. 1960s France. Inspired by the writings of the marquis de sade,  young Séverine (Valeria Piskounova) betrays her controlling husband with a small-time street gangster. (Nikolai Kinski) An act of passion? Or is there something sinister at play?

Oded Arad (IL) Bartholomew, 09:08, 2012

Karl F. Stewart  (DT/US) Animaux Découpages, 04:33, 2012 Often times the personality of an animal extends only to the dining room table as a roasted chicken or a grilled steak. And though we are fairly understanding of cats and dogs, we frequently lose touch with the complexities of other domesticated animals. Animaux Découpages are portraits of common farm animals. It's a look at their perceived personality through a photograph. Why would I want to be a Cow . Why would I want to be a cow ... Why would I want to be a cow ... They heat you ... They eat ... Why would I wan to be a cow ... I came into this world all big eyed ... Now I'm big all around .would I want to be a cow ... Why would I want to be a cow ... They heat you ... They eat you ....

Jimmy Grima (MT) L-Iblah (The Fool) 10:00 2013

This film revisits the timeless phenomenon of a man falling in love with a woman. Just as a block of cement sits by the sea, one witnesses a quasi-dreamlike sequence of images that are intentionally placed on that fine line where reality borders with surreality. This is a story innocently echoing the island's [Malta's] way of resolving its dormant, winter season with its spirited, eclectic summer festivities.

Hiroki Mano | JP | Spiritual Meetin' |  05:26 | 2016 A mad monkey and film art that literally leaps into the room

photo: Moeko Yamazaki  by Ko Zushi (Ko Zushi Photography) complete DL at Mitte Media Festival program here .........

#Directors Lounge #Mitte Media Festival #Woody Hoofer #performance #Hiroki Mano #dl #news #dates #performers

[shirlleycoyle]

The polar vortex should kill bugs, right? Not so much.

The post office suspended mail delivery. Schools and campuses across the Midwest closed down. Temperatures in Chicago, Madison and other Great Lakes cities dipped lower than those in Antarctica.

We’re ok. There’s nothing to see here. How’s everyone doing? pic.twitter.com/g0VuDIiU6q

— UW–Madison Science (@UWMadScience) January 30, 2019 

Surely that means some of the peskiest insects we know don’t stand a chance in the polar vortex, right?

Well, not so fast, says University of Wisconsin–Madison bug guy, PJ Liesch.

“The cold weather will undoubtedly have some impacts, although it’s difficult to predict at this point,” Liesch says. “The snow we’ve received over the last few weeks has created an excellent insulating layer that will protect many overwintering insects from the full force of the cold.”

Students and pedestrians walk along snow-covered sidewalks near Agricultural Hall at the University of Wisconsin-Madison during a winter storm that brought several inches of snow to campus on Jan. 23, 2019. (Photo by Bryce Richter /UW-Madison)

So what does that mean for the emerald ash borer, responsible for wiping out several thousand square miles of ash trees across Wisconsin, and tens of millions of ash trees in 30 states?

“Insects like the emerald ash borer will likely be impacted by the cold, but their reproductive capacity should allow them to ‘catch up’ in the long-run,” Liesch explains.

What about ticks, those creepy arachnids infamous for carrying diseases like Lyme, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and even red meat allergies? (Why, yes, you can find Lone Star ticks in Wisconsin and they’re really disgusting.*)

Liesch delivers some more bad news: “Ticks overwinter down amongst leaf litter, meaning that they should be well insulated at this point.”

Well, surely those smelly, annoying stink bugs will perish in the arctic blast … right?

Turns out, they’re just more likely to cozy up next to us as we huddle for survival in our heated homes.

“The invasive brown marmorated stink bug, which has been a nuisance to many Wisconsinites, likes to invade homes and other structures which would provide sufficient warmth during this cold spell,” Liesch says.

Adult brown marmorated stink bug. Photo Credit: PJ Liesch, UW Insect Diagnostic Lab

Ok, ok. Mosquitoes. We had a really hellish year here in southern Wisconsin last year, given the record-breaking flooding. So this deep freeze will give us the break we deserve …

She can’t yet say for sure, but probably not, says UW–Madison Entomology Professor, Susan Paskewitz, co-director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Midwest Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Disease: “We have a good snow cover and usually that should give some insulation down where the eggs are overwintering.”

While there is some potentially good news — “I’d expect that insects overwintering in more exposed locations (such as exposed egg masses) or recent invaders from more southern areas would be impacted the most,” Liesch says — it sounds like we’re just going to have to find ways to make do with these cold conditions and remember that summer, and its bugs, will be here before we know it.

Hoofer Sailing Club members bring their windsurfing boards and sailboats in for the evening near the Memorial Union Terrace at UW–Madison. (Photo by Jeff Miller/UW-Madison)

*No really, read this: –Nymphs and larvae of the lone star tick will often feed on humans, and can sometimes be present in large numbers.  These are sometimes called “seed ticks” in the southern USA.  It is not uncommon for a person to pick up 20 to several hundred seed ticks at a time.

Source: http://bit.ly/2GbYVls

For more info about insects and insect-borne diseases and invasions:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Ticks: https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/

Midwest Center of Excellence for Vector Borne Disease: http://mcevbd.wisc.edu/

University of Wisconsin–Madison Insect Diagnostic Lab: http://labs.russell.wisc.edu/insectlab/

United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/resources/pests-diseases/hungry-pests/the-threat/emerald-ash-borer/emerald-ash-borer-beetle

The polar vortex should kill bugs, right? Not so much. syndicated from https://triviaqaweb.wordpress.com/feed/

[shirlleycoyle]

The polar vortex should kill bugs, right? Not so much.

The post office suspended mail delivery. Schools and campuses across the Midwest closed down. Temperatures in Chicago, Madison and other Great Lakes cities dipped lower than those in Antarctica.

We’re ok. There’s nothing to see here. How’s everyone doing? pic.twitter.com/g0VuDIiU6q

— UW–Madison Science (@UWMadScience) January 30, 2019 

Surely that means some of the peskiest insects we know don’t stand a chance in the polar vortex, right?

Well, not so fast, says University of Wisconsin–Madison bug guy, PJ Liesch.

“The cold weather will undoubtedly have some impacts, although it’s difficult to predict at this point,” Liesch says. “The snow we’ve received over the last few weeks has created an excellent insulating layer that will protect many overwintering insects from the full force of the cold.”

Students and pedestrians walk along snow-covered sidewalks near Agricultural Hall at the University of Wisconsin-Madison during a winter storm that brought several inches of snow to campus on Jan. 23, 2019. (Photo by Bryce Richter /UW-Madison)

So what does that mean for the emerald ash borer, responsible for wiping out several thousand square miles of ash trees across Wisconsin, and tens of millions of ash trees in 30 states?

“Insects like the emerald ash borer will likely be impacted by the cold, but their reproductive capacity should allow them to ‘catch up’ in the long-run,” Liesch explains.

What about ticks, those creepy arachnids infamous for carrying diseases like Lyme, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and even red meat allergies? (Why, yes, you can find Lone Star ticks in Wisconsin and they’re really disgusting.*)

Liesch delivers some more bad news: “Ticks overwinter down amongst leaf litter, meaning that they should be well insulated at this point.”

Well, surely those smelly, annoying stink bugs will perish in the arctic blast … right?

Turns out, they’re just more likely to cozy up next to us as we huddle for survival in our heated homes.

“The invasive brown marmorated stink bug, which has been a nuisance to many Wisconsinites, likes to invade homes and other structures which would provide sufficient warmth during this cold spell,” Liesch says.

Adult brown marmorated stink bug. Photo Credit: PJ Liesch, UW Insect Diagnostic Lab

Ok, ok. Mosquitoes. We had a really hellish year here in southern Wisconsin last year, given the record-breaking flooding. So this deep freeze will give us the break we deserve …

She can’t yet say for sure, but probably not, says UW–Madison Entomology Professor, Susan Paskewitz, co-director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Midwest Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Disease: “We have a good snow cover and usually that should give some insulation down where the eggs are overwintering.”

While there is some potentially good news — “I’d expect that insects overwintering in more exposed locations (such as exposed egg masses) or recent invaders from more southern areas would be impacted the most,” Liesch says — it sounds like we’re just going to have to find ways to make do with these cold conditions and remember that summer, and its bugs, will be here before we know it.

Hoofer Sailing Club members bring their windsurfing boards and sailboats in for the evening near the Memorial Union Terrace at UW–Madison. (Photo by Jeff Miller/UW-Madison)

*No really, read this: –Nymphs and larvae of the lone star tick will often feed on humans, and can sometimes be present in large numbers.  These are sometimes called “seed ticks” in the southern USA.  It is not uncommon for a person to pick up 20 to several hundred seed ticks at a time.

Source: http://bit.ly/2GbYVls

For more info about insects and insect-borne diseases and invasions:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Ticks: https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/

Midwest Center of Excellence for Vector Borne Disease: http://mcevbd.wisc.edu/

University of Wisconsin–Madison Insect Diagnostic Lab: http://labs.russell.wisc.edu/insectlab/

United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/resources/pests-diseases/hungry-pests/the-threat/emerald-ash-borer/emerald-ash-borer-beetle

The polar vortex should kill bugs, right? Not so much. syndicated from https://triviaqaweb.wordpress.com/feed/

[shirlleycoyle]

The polar vortex should kill bugs, right? Not so much.

The post office suspended mail delivery. Schools and campuses across the Midwest closed down. Temperatures in Chicago, Madison and other Great Lakes cities dipped lower than those in Antarctica.

We’re ok. There’s nothing to see here. How’s everyone doing? pic.twitter.com/g0VuDIiU6q

— UW–Madison Science (@UWMadScience) January 30, 2019 

Surely that means some of the peskiest insects we know don’t stand a chance in the polar vortex, right?

Well, not so fast, says University of Wisconsin–Madison bug guy, PJ Liesch.

“The cold weather will undoubtedly have some impacts, although it’s difficult to predict at this point,” Liesch says. “The snow we’ve received over the last few weeks has created an excellent insulating layer that will protect many overwintering insects from the full force of the cold.”

Students and pedestrians walk along snow-covered sidewalks near Agricultural Hall at the University of Wisconsin-Madison during a winter storm that brought several inches of snow to campus on Jan. 23, 2019. (Photo by Bryce Richter /UW-Madison)

So what does that mean for the emerald ash borer, responsible for wiping out several thousand square miles of ash trees across Wisconsin, and tens of millions of ash trees in 30 states?

“Insects like the emerald ash borer will likely be impacted by the cold, but their reproductive capacity should allow them to ‘catch up’ in the long-run,” Liesch explains.

What about ticks, those creepy arachnids infamous for carrying diseases like Lyme, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and even red meat allergies? (Why, yes, you can find Lone Star ticks in Wisconsin and they’re really disgusting.*)

Liesch delivers some more bad news: “Ticks overwinter down amongst leaf litter, meaning that they should be well insulated at this point.”

Well, surely those smelly, annoying stink bugs will perish in the arctic blast … right?

Turns out, they’re just more likely to cozy up next to us as we huddle for survival in our heated homes.

“The invasive brown marmorated stink bug, which has been a nuisance to many Wisconsinites, likes to invade homes and other structures which would provide sufficient warmth during this cold spell,” Liesch says.

Adult brown marmorated stink bug. Photo Credit: PJ Liesch, UW Insect Diagnostic Lab

Ok, ok. Mosquitoes. We had a really hellish year here in southern Wisconsin last year, given the record-breaking flooding. So this deep freeze will give us the break we deserve …

She can’t yet say for sure, but probably not, says UW–Madison Entomology Professor, Susan Paskewitz, co-director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Midwest Center of Excellence for Vector-Borne Disease: “We have a good snow cover and usually that should give some insulation down where the eggs are overwintering.”

While there is some potentially good news — “I’d expect that insects overwintering in more exposed locations (such as exposed egg masses) or recent invaders from more southern areas would be impacted the most,” Liesch says — it sounds like we’re just going to have to find ways to make do with these cold conditions and remember that summer, and its bugs, will be here before we know it.

Hoofer Sailing Club members bring their windsurfing boards and sailboats in for the evening near the Memorial Union Terrace at UW–Madison. (Photo by Jeff Miller/UW-Madison)

*No really, read this: –Nymphs and larvae of the lone star tick will often feed on humans, and can sometimes be present in large numbers.  These are sometimes called “seed ticks” in the southern USA.  It is not uncommon for a person to pick up 20 to several hundred seed ticks at a time.

Source: http://bit.ly/2GbYVls

For more info about insects and insect-borne diseases and invasions:

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Ticks: https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/

Midwest Center of Excellence for Vector Borne Disease: http://mcevbd.wisc.edu/

University of Wisconsin–Madison Insect Diagnostic Lab: http://labs.russell.wisc.edu/insectlab/

United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/aphis/resources/pests-diseases/hungry-pests/the-threat/emerald-ash-borer/emerald-ash-borer-beetle

The polar vortex should kill bugs, right? Not so much. syndicated from https://triviaqaweb.wordpress.com/feed/