What do woodpeckers and boll weevils have in common?
They’re both being pinpointed by computer maps. ARS scientists originally designed the maps to show cotton growers where and when boll weevil populations have reached damage levels. But in a new pilot study, scientists with the U.S. Department of the Interior’s Fish and Wildlife Service are adapting the maps to track and protect endangered red-cockaded woodpeckers in a Mississippi wildlife refuge. The weevil maps sketch state and country boundaries, geographical features and areas such as farms, cities, parks and lakes. The maps are color-coded to show size and locale of weevil populations. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service may also adapt the maps to pinpoint where and when to restrict pesticide spraying in environmentally sensitive zones.
