Pest identification
What's eating my hazelnut 'eta'?
Nut weevil (Curculio nucum)
Signs: Larvae consume the kernel; infested nuts show a small round exit hole and are hollow.
Control: Shake adults onto a tarp at female-flower time; collect fallen nuts daily; encourage ground beetles that prey on pupae in soil.
Big bud mite (Phytoptus avellanae)
Signs: Buds become abnormally large and round, fail to break, and reduce the following year's nut crop.
Control: Remove and destroy swollen buds in late winter; coppice heavily infested plants; no effective home miticide available.
Hazel aphid (Myzocallis coryli)
Signs: Dense colonies on leaf undersides cause yellowing, sooty mold, and early leaf drop.
Control: Insecticidal soap; water jets; rely on natural predators where possible.
Squirrels
Signs: Strip developing nuts from mid-summer onwards, leaving little for harvest.
Control: Net individual branches or sections with fine-gauge mesh from late July; harvest promptly when husks loosen.
Keep hazelnut 'eta' pest-free
Healthy plants resist pests best. Get the basics right:
Hazelnut 'Eta' pests — FAQ
What is eating my hazelnut 'eta'?
Hazelnut 'Eta' faces the same suite of pests as other Corylus avellana cultivars: nut weevil larvae destroying kernels, big bud mite causing spring bud failure, and hazel aphids on foliage. Squirrels remain the greatest practical obstacle to harvest. Nut weevil causes the most direct loss to nut quality and yield.
How do I get rid of nut weevil (curculio nucum) on hazelnut 'eta'?
Larvae consume the kernel; infested nuts show a small round exit hole and are hollow. Shake adults onto a tarp at female-flower time; collect fallen nuts daily; encourage ground beetles that prey on pupae in soil.
How do I get rid of big bud mite (phytoptus avellanae) on hazelnut 'eta'?
Buds become abnormally large and round, fail to break, and reduce the following year's nut crop. Remove and destroy swollen buds in late winter; coppice heavily infested plants; no effective home miticide available.
How do I get rid of hazel aphid (myzocallis coryli) on hazelnut 'eta'?
Dense colonies on leaf undersides cause yellowing, sooty mold, and early leaf drop. Insecticidal soap; water jets; rely on natural predators where possible.
How do I get rid of squirrels on hazelnut 'eta'?
Strip developing nuts from mid-summer onwards, leaving little for harvest. Net individual branches or sections with fine-gauge mesh from late July; harvest promptly when husks loosen.