Do birds eat almonds?
Birds do eat almonds, but they usually remove the entire nut or remove the flower bud or developing nut. This sounds more like one of the larvae that attack almonds early on, perhaps one of the leafrollers, which are small moths whose larvae attack developing nuts. These can be problems in California almond orchards, but I have not yet seen them here. Growers usually apply a cover spray right after bloom if these insects are a problem. They usually do not create big problems, but if this is something that persists, you can apply an insecticide just after bloom is finished and the nut is developing. Organic pesticides that may be labeled for their control have ingredients that are called spinosad or Bt. The Bt may be called Dipel or Thuricide on the label. Q: I bought a citrus food to apply to my lemon tree. The problem is that almost 75 percent of the leaves fell off — only fruits and flowers are left. Is my tree dead already? Please give me any suggestions or ideas what to do. A: It
