What's eating my almond 'mission'?

Almond 'Mission' is a late-season, hard-shelled variety somewhat more resistant to navel orangeworm than early-splitting varieties, but still vulnerable. Peach twig borer, spider mites, and shot-hole borer can all cause significant damage. The later hull split gives growers a window advantage but does not eliminate the navel orangeworm risk.

Larvae enter at hull split and destroy kernels; 'Mission' late hull split reduces exposure window compared to 'Nonpareil', but multi-generation pest populations still infest it Winter mummy-nut sanitation; monitor pheromone traps; harvest as soon as hull split reaches 100%; spinosad spray if needed

Spring flagging of shoot tips; summer larvae bore into nut stems leaving gum and entry holes Dormant-season oil + Bt spray; mating disruption in larger blocks; remove and destroy flagged shoots in spring

Small round entry holes in bark, frass tubes; adults attack stressed or drought-weakened trees, tunneling in the cambium and girdling limbs Keep trees well irrigated and healthy — beetles target stressed trees; remove and chip infested wood promptly; no spray effective once beetles are inside bark