Stink bugs are causing trouble in almond orchards

Pests are a big problem for growers. Specifically in California, stinkbugs can be big trouble for almond producers.

Entomologists say this time of year is prime time for the often hard to spot bugs.

“They’re hard to find. They’re often in the tops of the trees. Sometimes they’ll migrate in the middle of season, you’ll get pest control advisors that are looking diligently for leafleted bugs in April, May, and maybe the beginning of June and kind of stopped looking for bugs because leaflet of bug seasons over. Then maybe you have, you know, silage corn field that gets harvested next to you or tomato field or something, and these stink bugs come in. They can cause damage into June with relatively hardened off shells causes the black spot on the nut that’s rejected harvest,” said David Haviland.

Haviland says if a producer suspects any damage caused by stink bugs, to work with the huller, saying they might be able to separate worm damage.

Related Stories
Strong demand supports sweet potatoes, but grading challenges and rising costs weigh on returns for Southeastern growers.
Pressure on grain storage capacity and stronger export positioning are pushing more grain onto railroads, highways, and river systems as logistics become a key bottleneck this fall.
The Cotton-4 are pushing hard for new value chain investments. Still, many U.S. cotton producers face unsustainable losses, and weakened regional textile capacity threatens the survival of the Carolina “dirt-to-shirt” supply chain.
Tryston Beyrer, Crop Nutrition Lead at The Mosaic Company, examines planning trends as producers weigh corn and soybean plantings for 2026.
Brooks York with AgriSompo joins us to offer an update on what agents are prioritizing as the calendar year winds down.
Despite the need for swift action, many ag lawmakers and industry groups argue that farm aid alone will likely not be sufficient to help farmers without improved trade relations with China.

Agriculture Shows
Crop yield champions David Hula from Virginia and Randy Dowdy from Georgia are back for another season with the aim of schooling more growers across the country in their winning ways.
“Texas Agriculture Matters” is a fun, informative look at the role of agriculture in our daily lives. The show utilizes the trademark wit and wisdom of its host Commissioner Sid Miller — an 8th-generation farmer-rancher and 12-time World Champion rodeo cowboy — to explore a new Texas ag-related topic each week.
From barnyards and back roads to metros and highways, Simply Southern TV on RFD-TV explores all of Alabama to bring you the best stories on farming, gardening, forestry, rural living, and youth in agriculture.
In the first week of each month, “Down Home Virginia,” produced by the Virginia Farm Bureau, airs its half-hour program. Other states’ Farm Bureaus featured on different weeks include Texas, Arkansas, Indiana, Illinois, Tennessee, Idaho, and New York, and news from the American Farm Bureau from Washington, D.C.
Created by former Louisiana Farm Bureau PR Director and former host Regnal Wallace, “This Week in Louisiana Agriculture,” is one of the state’s longest-running TV programs.