Invasive pest never before seen in North America threatens Texas food supply, officials warn

Texas agriculture officials issued an urgent alert this week aft confirming that a recently identified invasive pest is spreading rapidly crossed much than 20 counties, threatening grazing lands, hay accumulation and livestock operations crossed the state.

The insect, Helicococcus summervillei – known arsenic the pasture mealybug – has ne'er earlier been reported successful North America. Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller said the pest is already causing disposable harm successful aggregate regions. 

"This is simply a wholly caller pest to our continent, and Texas is erstwhile again connected the beforehand lines," Miller said. "If the pasture mealybug spreads crossed Texas grazing lands similar it has successful eastbound Australia, it could outgo Texas agriculture dearly successful mislaid productivity and reduced livestock capacity."

The Texas Department of Agriculture says it is moving with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service to measure however acold it is spreading and to find the champion exigency effect strategy.

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Texas ranchers look increasing interest arsenic a recently detected invasive pest, shown successful the inset images, spreads crossed grazing onshore and threatens cardinal crops relied connected for cattle feed. (Raw Farm, Danielle Sekula and Stephen Biles)

The pasture mealybug was archetypal described successful Australia successful 1928, according to AgriLife Extension publications, and was known to beryllium liable for millions of acres of mislaid pasture owed to "pasture dieback." The work describes the information arsenic erstwhile the insect feeds astatine the ungraded level and wrong works tissues, weakening and yet sidesplitting writer indispensable for grazing and hay production.

While the taxon is believed to beryllium caller to North America, researchers fishy the insect has been contiguous since earlier 2022.

So far, authorities and hold experts person documented the pursuing 20 counties arsenic being infected, with perchance more: Brazoria, Galveston, Wharton, Matagorda, Colorado, Austin, Washington, Cameron, Hidalgo, Willacy, Refugio, Calhoun, Victoria, Goliad, Dewitt, Lavaca, Fayette, Jackson, Burleson, Brazos and Robertson.

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Microscope presumption shows pasture mealybugs feeding connected a writer leaf — the recently detected pest present threatening Texas hay and livestock operations. (Danielle Sekula and Stephen Biles)

According to a Pest Incident Worksheet from AgriLife entomologists, the astir important pasture losses are successful Victoria County.

It’s besides noted that the astir susceptible grasses to infestation are Bermudagrass, Bahia grass, Johnsongrass, haygrazer (sorghum–sudangrass), St. Augustine grass, bluestem varieties and different tropical oregon subtropical grasses.

Damage tin beryllium hard to observe aboriginal due to the fact that the insects provender debased connected the works and beneath aboveground debris. Warning signs see yellowing wrong a week of infestation, purpling oregon reddening of leaves, stunting contempt capable moisture, weakening basal systems and patchy areas of thinning oregon dormant grass. The bugs look arsenic tiny achromatic fuzzy clusters connected writer oregon works matter.

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The wax-covered pasture mealybug, shown present connected a damaged leaf of grass, is causing dieback and threatening Texas grazing lands. (Danielle Sekula and Stephen Biles)

As of now, determination are nary insecticides labeled for the power of the pest successful the U.S.

Anyone who believes they are affected and notices symptoms oregon insect clusters resembling mealybugs is being asked to interaction the Texas Department of Agriculture astatine 1-800-TELL-TDA. State and national officials accidental ongoing reporting volition beryllium indispensable to mapping the pest’s dispersed and preventing wide economical losses.

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"We request each producer’s eyes connected the ground," Miller emphasized.

TDA, AgriLife Extension and USDA APHIS are continuing to jointly analyse the pest and make effect strategies to safeguard Texas livestock and hay industries.