Pasture Mealybug Could Cost Texas Farmers and Ranchers $2 Billion a Year
Photo: TokenPost
The sap-feeding pest has spread from South Texas into Louisiana, Georgia and Florida, while David Kerns, associate head of Texas A&M University's entomology department, estimates it could cost Texas farmers and ranchers $2 billion a year. The pest was first found in South Texas in 2022. Kerns says it favors hot, humid conditions and thick, tall grass. It feeds on plant sap and injects a toxin, weakening the grass. Affected grass may turn yellow, then red or purple, before dying. On a Central Texas cattle ranch, William Steubing said his mother was the first to notice sections of pasture dying.
Source: TokenPost
