Manage almond pests always

Spring is here, almonds are blooming beautifully and farmers have not a care in the world. Actually, even though no crop-damaging insects or diseases may be present at the moment, the UC Integrated Pest Management program advises farmers to manage pests year round.

Not sure what you should be doing? UC IPM has just published an online video outlining the year-round IPM program.

How to Manage Almond Pests Using the Year-Round IPM Program is a narrated how–to guide for growers, PCAs, and others who work in almonds, showing what needs to be done throughout the season to stay on top of pest problems.

Going back and forth between the year-round IPM program and Pest Management Guidelines, the video gives an excellent look at how these two resources are used together to manage key almond pests such as navel orangeworm, peach twig borer, and shot hole. 

The video takes you deeper into the Guidelines with tips on taking dormant spur samples, monitoring for shoot strikes, and looking for predators and parasites of key pests.  Also included are instructions on using treatment tables to choose pesticides that are effective while examining effects on honey bees, natural enemies, and the environment.

The video is broken into six chapters so you can easily view the section of the year-round IPM program that you need help navigating.

Additional information is available in the online video Pest Management Guidelines for Almonds. 

For more information about other year-round programs available see the general video tour.

Special thanks to the project advisory team: Walt Bentley, UC Cooperative Extension advisor emeritus; Lucia Varela, UCCE advisor in Napa, Lake and Mendocino counties, and Pete Goodell, UCCE advisor based at the Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Parlier. All three are affiliated with the UC Statewide IPM Program.

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