Peach Twig Borer Damage Navel Orangeworm Damage Almond Mummy Nuts are an Overwintering Site

• In the 1970s, the navel orangeworm lowered the value of the almond crop by 10% • Parasites are not sufficiently effective by themselves to control the navel orangeworm • Peach twig borer damaged 20 % of the almond crop prior to the use of insecticides • Organic almond growers manage insects by spraying Bt, spinosad, oils, and boric acid Technical Summary California growers produce 1.l billion pounds of almonds with an annual value of $2.0 billion from 585,000 acres. California produces about 67 % of the world’s almonds. Approximately 85 % of California ’ almond acres are treated with insecticides. The standard insecticide spray program for almonds is estimated at $118/A including application costs which represents about 4 % of the cost of producing almonds [9]. Generally, growers aim for insect damage levels of less than 2 % [4]. High almond yields in California are dependent on the use of insecticides to prevent crop losses by insect and mite pests [29]. The major insect and mite species attacking almon