What's eating my english walnut 'chandler'?

English Walnut 'Chandler' (Juglans regia) faces walnut aphids, codling moth and other nut weevils, walnut husk fly, and occasional deer or squirrel damage. Squirrels are the most practically devastating pest for home growers, raiding nuts before harvest, though walnut aphid is the most common insect pest.

Pale yellow colonies on the undersides of leaves in spring and summer; heavy infestations cause early leaf drop and reduce nut fill Encourage natural predators (lacewings, parasitic wasps); apply insecticidal soap or neem oil for severe outbreaks on young trees

Maggots tunnel through the green husk, turning it black and mushy; the shell beneath may be stained and kernel quality reduced Hang yellow sticky traps baited with ammonium acetate from late July; apply spinosad spray to the canopy when fly activity is detected

Larvae enter nuts through the stem end, leaving frass-filled tunnels; affected nuts drop early and kernels are inedible Use pheromone traps to time sprays; apply codling moth granulosis virus or kaolin clay at husk split; maintain clean ground under tree to reduce pupation sites

Strip entire crop before it ripens; also damage bark on young branches when gnawing Net the canopy with bird-and-squirrel exclusion netting before hull split; use baffled tree guards on the trunk; harvest nuts as soon as hulls crack