Growth Stages of Pecan

1. Dormant: Period from leaf drop to bud break
2. Bud break: Bud scale splits, leaf begins to expand
3. Pollination: Catkins shed; pollen, stigmas receptive
4. Water stage: Nut interior fills with water
5. Gel stage: Immature kernel fills with gel-like substance
6. Half shell hardening: Resistance felt when making a cross-section cut through nut middle
7. Dough: Kernel gel begins to solidify
8. Shuck split: Shucks begin to split, exposing the shell

Pests to Look for During Development Stages

• Phylloxera - after bud break and before pollination
• Yellow aphids, pecan nut casebearers, spider mites, walnut caterpillars, and fall webworms - from the water stage through the dough stage
• Hickory shuckworm - right after gel stage through dough stage
• Pecan weevil - right after water stage up to shuck split
• Black aphids - around half shell hardening stage up until shuck split

Read Texas Extension's article on pecan pests for more information. Review MP144 for insecticide recommendations for Arkansas.