Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a way to manage pests in California crops, and insect monitoring is the major component of any IPM program. IPM program uses comprehensive information on pest biology, their life cycles, and most importantly, their interaction with the environment. Major insect pests activities in almond orchards begin when the environment warms up in the spring. Tracking insect activities from that point throughout the season gives a reliable basis on when the pest's specific stage(s) occurs and how it relates to potential risks to crop damage. Degree-day models can be used to calculate the accumulated heat-units, which is directly related to insect growth and reproduction. I wrote an article for the West Coast Nuts covering arthropod pest monitoring in almonds. The article can be downloaded below.
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