Texas issues urgent alert issued on pasture mealybug

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller on Dec. 10 issued an urgent alert to producers across the state to inspect their pastures for a newly detected and highly damaging pest: the pasture mealybug (Helicococcus summervillei).

This invasive species, never before reported in North America, has been confirmed in multiple southeastern Texas counties and is already causing significant damage to pasture acreage across the Lone Star State.

The Texas Department of Agriculture is working closely with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to coordinate a rapid response and protect Texas producers.