This is a free, in-person talk hosted on October 22, 2026 at 11:00 AM by Blanchardville Public Library in Blanchardville, WI, as a part of the Wisconsin Science Festival. No registration required. This talk will not be available virtually.

Once a creature of nursery rhymes, bed bugs have reemerged around the US over the last decades. This talk will discuss the biology of bed bugs, their history, precautions for travelers, and bed bug management in contemporary times.

Patrick (PJ) Liesch is a statewide entomology specialist and director of the University of Wisconsin Insect Diagnostic Lab (IDL). Every year, the IDL handles over 2,400 insect identification requests from Wisconsin’s farmers, private industry, university and government agencies, the general public, and other groups. PJ also provides entomology-related outreach throughout the state, including regular appearances on Wisconsin Public Radio.