Photo gallery Fishy fun at the Hasler Lab
Children and adults explored aquatic life in Wisconsin’s lakes, from touching longnose gar to looking at organisms under microscopes, during an open house at the Hasler Laboratory of Limnology on June 21. Guests learned about current research on Madison lakes, met some of the plants and animals living in the waters and got a hands-on introduction to the tools freshwater scientists use.
![A child high-fives the mascot Bucky Badger.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2024/06/Limnology-open-house-2024-06-21AD-6159-Enhanced-NR-1024x682.jpg)
Photo by: Althea Dotzour
Seven-year-old Esko Kotila gives Bucky Badger a high five This is the third year in a row that Kotila has come to the Limnology Open House. He’s gotten a microscope of his own to use at home, and he’s very interested in lake science.![People reach into a large gray bin to to touch a young long-nosed gar fish as it swims through the water.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2024/06/Limnology-open-house-2024-06-21AD-6084-1024x682.jpg)
Photo by: Althea Dotzour
Melissa Holtz reaches down to touch a longnose gar with the help of limnology research specialist Alice Ogden-Nussbaum. The long-nosed gar is a primitive fish covered with hard ganoid scales.![Anna Rusk and her almost-four-year-old daughter Eliza Rusk use a microscope to look for “little things in the water.” The family came for the boat rides, which were canceled due to stormy weather, but found lots of other activities at the open house instead.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2024/06/Limnology-open-house-2024-06-21AD-5993-1024x682.jpg)
Photo by: Althea Dotzour
Anna Rusk and her almost-four-year-old daughter Eliza Rusk use a microscope to look for “little things in the water.” The family came for the boat rides, which were canceled due to stormy weather, but found lots of other activities at the open house instead.![Storm clouds linger over a gray lake.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2024/06/Limnology-open-house-2024-06-21AD-6030-1024x682.jpg)
Photo by: Althea Dotzour
A storm rolls across the north side of Lake Mendota with docked sailboats in the foreground as seen from the Lakeshore Path during the open house.![A woman and two children look into microscopes.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2024/06/Limnology-open-house-2024-06-21AD-5966-1024x682.jpg)
Photo by: Althea Dotzour
From left to right, Joy Okaa and her 3-year-old son Ryan Okaa and 5-year-old son Arnold Okaa look at organisms that live in pond water under microscopes.![Some kids look at a microscope and smile.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2024/06/Limnology-open-house-2024-06-21AD-5923-Enhanced-NR-1024x682.jpg)
Photo by: Althea Dotzour
“It’s ALIVE! Cool!” squealed Christine Chen, 11, and Jasmine Hung, 9, as they look at samples of pond water with the help of undergraduate conservation biology and zoology student Sophie Corsaro (at right).![A hand dips into a container full of water that's green and full of seaweed.](https://news.wisc.edu/content/uploads/2024/06/Limnology-open-house-2024-06-21AD-5953-1024x682.jpg)
Photo by: Althea Dotzour
A visitor uses a transfer pipette to pick up organisms from a container of pond water for viewing under a microscope.Tags: recent sightings