Commissioner Sid Miller Warns Producers as Pasture Mealybug Spreads Across Texas

Commissioner Sid Miller Warns Producers as Pasture Mealybug Spreads Across Texas (7/17/2026)

Infestations now confirmed in 70 counties, with another 56 counties at imminent risk

AUSTIN, TX - Commissioner Sid Miller and the Texas Department of Agriculture today urged ranchers, hay producers, and landowners to watch for signs of pasture mealybug (Heliococcus summervillei), now confirmed by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension in 70 Texas counties.

“Early detection is our best defense. The sooner we identify new infestations, the better chance we have to slow this pest’s spread and protect the pastures our animals depend on,” Commissioner Miller said. “We're working closely with Texas A&M AgriLife to make sure ranchers and landowners have the latest information to recognize infestations early.”

Pasture mealybug attacks the forage that cattle and other grazing animals depend on. Feeding on forage grasses at the soil’s surface, the insect extracts plant sap and injects toxins that can cause pasture dieback. Texas AgriLife researchers now estimate that mealybug threatens more than 20 million acres of pasture and rangeland. That figure could climb to nearly 36 million acres if the pest becomes established in the 56 counties considered at imminent risk.

Experts believe mealybug spreads primarily by hitchhiking on contaminated vehicles, farm equipment, and clothing. Prevailing winds may also carry immature mealybugs to nearby fields, helping explain the pest’s rapid expansion.

Commissioner Miller thanked the scientists and extension specialists at Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and Texas A&M AgriLife Research for leading field research and providing producers with reliable guidance.

"Protecting Texas pastures is a team effort," Commissioner Miller said. "I’m grateful to Texas A&M AgriLife for its outstanding work. Their research is giving producers practical information they can use right away to recognize this pest early and reduce its impact."

No pesticide has yet proven to be consistently effective against pasture mealybug. Federal and state agencies continue collaborating on management options.

What Producers Can Do:

Watch for:

• Yellow, purple, or red foliage
• Poor root growth or dieback beginning at leaf tips
• Fuzzy white insects on grass blades, stems, soil surfaces, or beneath plant debris and cow patties

To help slow the spread of pasture mealybug:

• Scout pastures and hayfields regularly.
• Manage pastures through grazing or hay harvest.
• Clean equipment and vehicles before moving between fields.
• Report suspected infestations to the Texas Department of Agriculture by calling 1-800-TELL-TDA.
• Contact your local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office for identification assistance and management recommendations.

"This is one of those challenges where every producer can make a difference. Vigilance and quick reporting give us our best chance to stay ahead of this pest. Working together, we can protect Texas pastures and the livestock that depend on them," Commissioner Miller said.

For more information, including a map of affected counties, please visit the Texas A&M website.

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