Great Lakes Echo

By Demonte Thomas During the summer, corn undergoes a process called evapotranspiration, known by many as “corn sweat” to cool itself down. As Michigan’s summer crops continue to grow, residents may notice a familiar smell on warm summer evenings: corn. The scent often raises questions about whether the state’s vast corn fields are making already hot and humid conditions even more uncomfortable.

By Anna Barnes Officials from Michigan’s Fisheries division say further cutbacks on staffing and fish stocking are likely as the costs of operations rise. The division relies on licenses for much of its budget, but the price has remained consistent for more than a decade. Only restricted, one-time funding was included in the latest state budget. Some key lawmakers who are oppose increased fees have said the Department of Natural Resources is mismanaged and shouldn’t get more public funding.

By Kyrmyzy Turebayeva A new study based on data from competitive angling events in the Great Lakes found that more than 20% of black bass weighed-in at these events are over 10 years old, with at least one individual reaching its early 20s.

By Bauyrzhan Zhaxylykov Nearly half of Great Lakes beachgoers rarely or never check water quality before swimming, according to a new study by researchers at Toronto Metropolitan University. The study analyzed responses from more than 4,500 adults living in Great Lakes states and Ontario who participated in a 2024 regional survey by the International Joint Commission.

By Anna Barnes The invasive elm zigzag sawfly has been confirmed in Michigan for the first time by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through genetic verification methods at the Smithsonian Institution. The species was confirmed in Fort Gratiot in St. Clair County after an arborist submitted a report through the Midwest Invasive Species Information Network online reporting tool. The elm zigzag sawfly is an invasive species that defoliates elms by eating zigzag patterns into their leaves.

By Kyrmyzy Turebayeva Downriver Detroit developed during the 20th century as an industrial region, but it was never just an industrial space. Alongside factories and working-class neighborhoods, there were wetlands, waterfront areas, nature preserves, farms and residential communities with different types of environments that shaped the region.

By Julia Roeder A walk through the woods is no longer the only place Midwesterners should watch for ticks. Researchers say the tiny parasites are spreading to communities across the region and show no signs of slowing down. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, emergency room visits attributed to ticks are at the highest levels in nearly 10 years. The Midwest is the region with the second- most likely emergency room visits due to  tick bites.

By Demonte Thomas A new female peregrine falcon has appeared at Michigan State University’s falcon nesting box atop Spartan Stadium, marking a significant change at a nesting site occupied by peregrine falcons for years. The MSU Wildlife and Fisheries Club, which maintains the nest box and livestream, identified the new female as Nicole after observing her alongside Apollo, the male peregrine falcon that has nested at the stadium since the project’s early years.

Reporting for this story was supported by a grant from the Knight Center for Environmental Journalism. The writer is a student at Skyline High School in Ann Arbor, Michigan. By Domonic Marroni Most Skyline High School students have likely found themselves staring out a window during a lecture at some point in their high school career. The canopy of the forest on campus is especially nice to see in the warmer months of the year, when it becomes a thick sheet of green.

By Kyrmyzy Turebayeva The American Rust Belt is often described through statistics, manufacturing output, employment rates and economic downturns. For Jim Daniels, however, the region is defined by people, working families, factory neighborhoods, highways leading north toward the Great Lakes and memories that stay with a person for a lifetime. These themes run throughout his new poetry collection, “Late Invocation for Magic” (Michigan State University Press, $24.95).