First-instar larvae bore into the nutmeat, and later instars can consume most of the nut, producing large amounts of webbing and frass. Often, more than one larva can be found feeding in a nut. Navel orangeworm larval damage can also lead to fungal infections. · The pesky caterpillars of these fast-breeding moths ruin the harvest with their precision attacks on nut meats. Navel orangeworms onnut crops, like pistachios and almonds, are not uncommon. Read on to learn more about this pest and its treatment. · The Navel Orangeworm is a significant pest in agricultural systems due to primarily feeding on the seeds of tree nuts, including almonds, pistachios, and walnuts. It also infests other crops like figs, but its most destructive impact is on nut trees. Discover what Navel Orangeworms are and how they affect nut crops. Explore strategies for controlling these pests and safeguarding your harvest. Moving toward harvest, it is important to take steps to effectively manage the navel orangeworm (NOW). This pest is a double threat to almond quality ‐ besides causing direct damage to the kernel, NOW has broader quality implications. It opens the door to fungal infections and contaminants. · One such threat, especially for nut and fruit farmers, is the navel orangeworm (NOW), a destructive pest that targets several crops, including almonds, walnuts, pistachios, figs, dates, and, as the name suggests, oranges. Navel orangeworm (NOW) is the primary insect pest of almonds in California. It poses a high risk to an almond crop because the worms bore into the nut and feed on the nutmeat.
