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
API said it stands ready to work with Congress to develop a balanced approach to E15 legislation that promotes fuel choice, supports investment certainty, and contributes to a stable and fair marketplace for American consumers.
In the meantime, Senate Majority Leader John Thune is asking that farmers be allowed to use marketing assistance loans to help stay afloat.
Ryan Dunsbergen, soybean product manager for Golden Harvest, shares an overview of their new soybean seed lineup and what growers can expect in 2026.
Bioethanol is becoming a global standard. For growers, that boom comes as drops in Mississippi River levels and in soybean demand occur in tandem, leaving barge space for corn and wheat.
The government shutdown has touched nearly every sector of the ag industry since it began, and now impacts are spilling over into dairy.
With China halting U.S. soybean purchases and talks tied to broader strategic issues, growers face renewed export uncertainty.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

American soybean and corn leaders, along with Canada’s AgriFood sector, testified before the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office in support of the trade pact between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
The FAO Food Price Index for November fell by more than 1 percent in November, marking the third straight month of declines.
Texas livestock producers face a heightened biosecurity threat as New World screwworm detections in northern Mexico coincide with FDA approval of the first topical treatment.
Agriculture Shows
Hosted by Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady and RFD News Markets Specialist Tony St. James, Commodity Talk delivers expert insight into the day’s ag commodity markets just before the CME opens. Only on RFD-TV and Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147.
A look at the news, weather and commodities headlines that drove agriculture markets in the past week.
Everything profits from prairie. Soil, air, water — and all kinds of life! Learn how you can improve your land with prairie restoration, cover crops and prairie strips, while growing your bottom line.
Special 3-part series tells the story of the Claas family’s legacy, which changed agriculture forever.