Since mid-April, a pasture mealybug has been reported from Cameron County to Robertson County and as far east as Galveston County. It has been found to be damaging many different grass species including Bermudagrass, Bahia grass, Johnsongrass, Haygrazer (Sorghum-Sudan) grass, several bluestem species, and St. Augustine turfgrass. The USDA identified our samples of mealybugs found in pastures and roadsides as the species Heliococcus summervillei.  This mealybug is an insect pest known to damage pasture grasses in Australia, causing what they call “pasture dieback.” Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has… Read More →

The species of this mealybug has still not been determined. I expect to hear from the identifier soon, but these identifications can sometimes take longer because they want to be sure to get an accurate identification which may include DNA analysis. Several questions have been asked about how the mealybug can move from place to place. Mealybugs can move from plant to plant by crawling, but they will need help to move greater distances. This help comes from wind, animals, vehicles, and people. I have seen videos of… Read More →

Once we know the species, we should get a clearer picture on the biology of the mealybug which may lead to better understanding of how to manage the pest. I hope to hear from the identifier next week. In Australia, there are mealybugs that effect their pastures. The Australian pasture mealybug (Heliococcus summervillei) is responsible for what they call “pasture dieback.” The symptoms they describe are similar to what we are experiencing. While our mealybug may or may not be the same species, we can learn from their… Read More →