HOUSTON – Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller issued an urgent alert this week to producers across the state to inspect their pastures for a newly detected and highly damaging pest.

The pest has been identified as the pasture mealybug ( Helicococcus summervillei ), an invasive species, which has been confirmed in multiple Texas counties. Its presence has already caused significant damage to pasture acreage across the Lone Star State, Miller said.

The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) said it is working closely with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to coordinate a rapid response and protect Texas producers.

Pasture Mealybugs impact

The pasture mealybug is a serious pest of forage grasses that causes “pasture di

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