fungus

Picture this: It’s evening. The summer’s heat is waning and you’re getting ready to bite into a freshly grilled hot dog, but a lurking predator is close by and about to make a meal of you—a blood meal, that is. You put down the hot dog and swat wildly at the winged attacker before it lands.

During the U.S. Open held this summer in Erin Hills, Wisconsin, some of the world’s top golfers competed for a shot at becoming the 2017 champion (won by Brooks Koepka). The course’s meticulously groomed putting greens and fairways—like those of so many other golf facilities—are an inspiration to...

This post is part of the Science Tuesday feature series on the USDA blog. Check back each week as we showcase stories and news from the USDA’s rich science and research portfolio. If you want to find a fungus that controls disease-spreading insects, you might want to go somewhere known for its...