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Podcast episodes

Check latest episodes from WXPR Field Notes podcast

Field Notes: The Winter Survival Strategies of Northwoods Insects!

2026/09/08

Insects don't simply vanish, nor do they all succumb to the severe freezing weather. Instead, they employ an incredible array of biological winter survival strategies, ranging from supercooling their blood to entering deep states of dormant suspended animation.

Field Notes: Research papers

2026/08/18

How do scientists talk about their research, and how can you untangle their sometimes overwhelming explanations?

Field Notes: Exploding Plants

2026/07/14

Several local plants have exploding fruits. They might not rival the fireworks on the fourth, but they are fun to see.

Field Notes: The Warmouth!

2026/06/09

In this month's installment of Field Notes, Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses the warmouth. An amazing fish native to Northern Wisconsin.

Field Notes: Flowers that don't play by the rules

2026/04/14

Most flowers attract pollinators with fragrant scents, and energy-rich nectar and pollen as rewards for visiting flowers. But this is life, and some flowers don’t play by the rules. Here are three examples: one stinks, one cheats and one is downright treacherous.

Field Notes: Spring Work Begins!

2026/03/10

Maple sap flow for maple syrup production occurs during a narrow window in late winter and early spring.

Field Notes: Ten Birds that Changed the World

2026/01/13

Stephen Moss’ book, “Ten Birds That Changed the World” is a fascinating exploration of ten bird species with remarkable natural histories and often, disastrous interactions with humans.

Field Notes: Modern maple sap collection

2025/12/09

Every spring, Kemp Station taps maple trees and produces a few gallons of maple syrup. In March 2026, we are planning a public demonstration project—moving beyond the simple sap buckets and sap bags—to a modern tubing system for gravity-flow sap collection.

Field Notes: Rings of Time

2025/11/11

Many people are aware that trees can be dated by counting the layers of tree rings in a cross section. But, less folks know that fish, snails, mussels, and the teeth of many local mammal species build seasonal growth rings that are used to age individuals.

Field Notes: Horseshoe crabs and health care

2025/10/07

Horseshoe crabs are one of the strangest critters ever; they are ancient animals who have been on earth for 450 million years and have scarcely changed in all that time.

Field Notes: Ruffed Grouse in the Northwoods

2025/09/09

In this month's installment of Field Notes, Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses Ruffed Grouse – a hallmark species in the Northwoods.

Field Notes: The Fruits of Summer

2025/07/08

One of the many wonderful things about summer is the arrival of fresh and tasty local fruits.

Field Notes: Mosquitoes in the Northwoods

2025/06/10

In this month's installment of Field Notes, Scott Bowe of Kemp Station discusses mosquitoes – a favorite insect of the Northwoods.

Canadian Nightcrawlers: More Than Just Bait

2025/05/13

While they’re famous among anglers, few people realize that Canadian Nightcrawlers—Lumbricus terrestris—have a fascinating biological story all their own, one that stretches across continents and ecosystems.

Field Notes: Nitrogen Fixation and Bombs

2025/04/08

Though it may be a nuisance in some situations, tag alder has a magic trick – it can fix nitrogen.