Lori Spears

Lori Spears

Professional Practice Assistant Professor
Utah State University
Logan, UT 84322
lori.spears@usu.edu

Bio

Lori Spears is the program coordinator for the Utah Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) Program at Utah State University.

The CAPS Program is a national pest-detection program whose goals are to:

  • Safeguard U.S. agricultural and environmental resources by ensuring that new invasive pests are detected as soon as possible.
  • Provide outreach and education programs that support and enhance efforts to prevent the introduction and spread of invasive pests.

Spears leads surveys for invasive pests, and then relays survey data and general information on invasive pests to Utah stakeholders and the broader community through various means, such as conference and workshop presentations, grower meetings and field days, fact sheets, newsletter articles, and field guides.

Her research program focuses on the detection, ecology, and management of invasive insect pests, including brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) and spotted wing drosophila.

Education

BS: Weber State University (2001)

PhD: Utah State University (2012)

BMSB Specialization

  • Phenology and host plant use
  • Development of effective monitoring tools
  • Characterization of feeding damage on tart cherry
  • Biological control

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