TYLER, Texas (KLTV) – As Texas battles the New World Screwworm, another bug threat is on the rise.
The Pasture Mealybug was first spotted last April. The grass-killing pest has been in Australia since the 1920s and was spotted in the Caribbean in 2019. It’s currently unknown how it got to Texas.
“It’s gonna be a tough insect to deal with,” said David Kerns, an entomologist with the Texas A&M AgriLife Service.
Kerns says the bug prefers dense grass. That’s why they are encouraging farmers to manage their vegetation.
“If you can eliminate the biomass, the population will be greatly reduced,” said Kerns. “If the pasture’s just not performing like it should be, it’s just not growing like it should, or if you’re starting to see some yellowing in areas, that’s an indicator that there’s probably pasture mealy bugs in that area.”
The USDA is currently working on a long-term biological solution for the bug. Kerns says they’re encouraging farmers not to take tools that have been used in an infected pasture to another.
If you suspect you have mealybugs in your grass, contact your local county extension agent.
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