Pasture Mealybugs
The pasture mealybug is a small, white, oval-shaped insect that feeds on multiple grasses, including forages, row crops like sugarcane and corn, and turf. Adults are fuzzy and fluffy-looking, around ~ 1/16 to ~3/16 inch (thickness of one to three pennies stacked). Nymphs are much smaller, about 1/64 inch, of creamy-white color, and are the most active feeders.
Pasture mealybugs eat plant sap found in blades of grass, sugarcane and other grass crops. They can also dig into the soil to feed on roots, and they often survive cold winters underground. Their appetite can damage crops and lead to widespread die-offs of entire pastures or fields.
Did you find pasture mealybugs? If you suspect your field is infected, please take pictures and fill out the UF/IFAS Pasture Mealybug Report form and send samples to FDACS Division of Plant Industry.
Products to Consider for the Control of Pasture Mealybug
