Elizabeth "Betsy" A. Boyd
- Email: eaboyd@csuchico.edu
- Phone: 530-898-6879
- Location: Plumas 225
Personal Information
Dr. Elizabeth “Betsy” A. Boyd has been a professor at the CSU, Chico College of Agriculture since 2008. Dr. Boyd obtained her BS in entomology from Washington State University (WSU) in 2000. After graduation she continued her education at WSU, where she earned an MS in entomology, majoring in biological control in 2002. Her thesis was titled “Life History and Impact Assessment of Nanophyes marmoratus Goeze on Lythrum salicaria L.”
After completing her MS, Dr. Boyd entered the doctoral degree program at University of California, Riverside, where she earned a PhD in entomology with a biological control major, integrated pest management minor, and behavior outside minor. Her dissertation was titled “Retroactive Host Specificity Testing, Biology, and Ecology of Sharpshooters (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) and Egg-Parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Mymaridae) in California.”
Since completing her PhD, Dr. Boyd has remained active in research. She was employed by the University of California, Berkeley as a postdoctoral scholar in the K.M. Daane laboratory located at the Kearney Agricultural Research Center from June 2007 to August 2008. While there she researched vine mealybug (VMB) biological control, VMB biology and ecology, and VMB mating disruption.
Her current research focus is to investigate potential management tactics that can be implemented in Integrated Management Programs for cropping systems throughout the world. Over the last ten years Dr. Boyd has investigated the biology, ecology, and novel management of navel orangeworm, the role of Psocoptera in almonds and pistachios, and the novel management and geospatial mapping of codling moth and walnut husk fly. She is currently co-authoring a book on entomophagy (eating insects) and runs an annual event where students get to try cooking and eating insects. She is proud to share that all of these projects have involved undergraduate and graduate student researchers. She regularly updates students, growers, and professionals with current research in class, at local grower meetings, and at professional conferences. Dr. Boyd also is a licensed California Pest Control Advisor (PCA) and hosts the annual Ag Pests FFA contest each year at Chico State.
Courses
- PSSC 340 - Economic Entomology
- PSSC 343 - Introduction to Weed Science
- PSSC 353 - Plant Protection Materials
- PSSC 441 - Principles of Integrated Pest Management
Websites
