WCN Dec e

Ant Management in Almonds
Plan Ahead for Ants to Prevent
Damage at Harvest
By KATHY COATNEY | Contributing Writer
The amount of ant damage sustained is directly proportional to how long the
nuts are sitting on the ground, according to UCCE Entomologist David Haviland.
There are two main ant pests in
almonds: the pavement ant and the
southern fire ant. The pavement
ant is about 0.13 inch long, dark brown
and covered with coarse hairs. It has
ridges on its head that are visible with
a hand lens and prefers to nest in sandy
or loam soils. It’s found throughout the
Central Valley, but most commonly in
the northern San Joaquin and Sacramento
valleys.
The southern fire ant is 0.07 to 0.25
inch long and has an amber head and
thorax with a black abdomen. Compared
to pavement ants, fire ants vigorously
swarm from the nest entrance
when disturbed.
“Both ant species are primarily
protein feeders,” according to David
Haviland, UCCE entomology and pest
management farm advisor for Kern
County, and almond kernels are excellent
sources of protein. “That’s why we
grow them and eat them.
“Different ants respond differently
to different climates, different ground
covers, different types of soils and different
amounts of rainfall,” Haviland
said.
Neither species likes to climb trees,
but once the nuts are harvested and on
the ground, they eat them, especially if
there’s an opening in the shell.
Ant Management
“The amount of ant damage sustained
is directly proportional to how
long the nuts are sitting on the ground,”
Haviland said, so the biggest factor in
ant management is manipulating how
long the nuts are on the ground.
“Once the nuts are shaken, of course
Continued on Page 86
84 West Coast Nut December 2021