What's eating my pecan 'pawnee'?

Pecan 'Pawnee' is an early-ripening cultivar, which largely avoids late-season pecan weevil pressure, but pecan nut casebearer hits it hard at the critical first and second generations. Aphids and stink bugs can reduce kernel quality. Early harvest protects most of the crop from squirrels and crows if timing is managed well.

First-generation larvae bore into terminal nutlets; second-generation larvae destroy kernel fill in developing nuts, leaving a hollowed or aborted nut. Use pheromone traps to time spray windows precisely; apply spinosad or carbaryl at first egg-hatch (typically 2 weeks after pollination); second spray targets second generation.

Piercing-sucking feeding produces dark, sunken spots in the kernel ('kernel spot'); affected kernels are bitter and unmarketable. Apply bifenthrin or zeta-cypermethrin when bugs are observed feeding; remove wild host plants at orchard margins; monitor with pyramid traps.

Heavy populations deposit honeydew, promoting sooty mold that reduces photosynthesis; very high numbers can cause premature defoliation. Scout weekly from July; natural enemies usually provide adequate control; apply a soft insecticide (insecticidal soap, pymetrozine) only when counts exceed threshold (200+ per leaflet).