Texas agriculture officials are warning farmers about a new pest threatening pastures and hayfields across the state.
On Wednesday, Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller issued an “urgent alert” about the pasture mealybug, Helicococcus summervillei, a small, fuzzy white insect that attacks grasses relied upon to feed livestock, including cattle and horses. Farmers first reported the pest in April, though officials believe it may have arrived in the U.S. as early as 2022.
The pasture mealybug, never before seen in North America, was first identified in Australia in 1928, where it has devastated millions of acres of grazing land. Unlike the New World screwworm, which threatens livestock directly, the mealybug damages the food supply by sucking the life out of grasses and leaving behind harmful waste that causes “pasture dieback.”
“This is a completely new pest to our continent, and Texas is once again on the front lines,” Commissioner Miller said. “If the pasture mealybug spreads across Texas grazing lands like it has in eastern Australia, it could cost Texas agriculture dearly in lost productivity and reduced livestock capacity. TDA is working hand-in-hand with federal and university partners to respond swiftly and protect our producers from this unprecedented threat.”
Nearly two dozen counties in South and Southeastern Texas have reported infestations, including Hidalgo, Willacy and Cameron counties in the Rio Grande Valley.
Research trials are underway to determine the best integrated pest management options. Currently, there is no known effective labeled insecticide for pasture mealybug, according to the Texas Ag Department.
For more information on the mealybug, visit here.
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