Articles by Karen Faster

Brown marmorated stink bug on an apple
Though the brown marmorated stink bug has only been spotted in Wisconsin over the last seven years, entomologists tracking the species suggest that it may become a prominent problem for farmers and gardeners. Links to resources and more information about it follow.
Brown marmorated stink bug
As growers and agriculture researchers have learned during the brown marmorated stink bug's 20-year migration across the U.S., managing the pest is difficult.
Comparison of stink bug species
As an invasive species in North America, the brown marmorated stink bug is the subject of ongoing scientific study, particularly by researchers in regions the species colonized.
Brown marmorated stink bug spreads in Wisconsin
Wisconsin may be at a turning point with the brown marmorated stink bug.
Apple showing brown marmorated stink bug damage
The brown marmorated stink bug is an invasive species in the United States that is expanding its range as an agricultural pest around the nation.
Brown marmorated stink bug
A smelly and increasingly infamous agricultural pest that is expanding through the United States, the brown marmorated stink bug is native to East Asia, where it challenges farmers throughout the region.
Russ Groves
Wisconsin is a national leader in growing and processing specialty crops that include sweet corn, green beans, peas, potatoes and, of course, cranberries. These plants attract plenty of pests that eat and damage the crops, making their management a primary concern of farmers.
Given the general infrequency of Elizabethkingia infections, the winter 2015-16 outbreak in Wisconsin is presenting a novel challenge for state and federal health authorities, as well as to providers working directly with patients. Despite the rarity of this health issue, multiple health organizations are providing information for the public about the bacteria. The emergent nature of these infections is also prompting coverage from a variety of regional and national media outlets.
Blood test tubes
State and local governments in the U.S. take the lead on organizing medical responses to disease outbreaks. Each state has its own system for reporting and containing infectious diseases.
Rifampin
The vast majority of Elizabethkingia-caused infections known to medicine have struck individuals with compromised immune systems: people already battling one or more other serious diseases, patients recovering from organ transplants or other major medical procedures, the elderly, and infants.