High temperatures change how mealybugs feed, according to early lab findings from Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists. The findings may help explain why some pasture mealybug infestations do far more damage than others. The study is led by doctoral student Ashley Zavala in the lab of Thomas Chappell, Ph.D., an epidemiologist in the Texas A&M Department of Plant Pathology and Microbiology. The researchers are studying mealybug feeding under a range of environmental conditions.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service entomologists said the pest was first confirmed in Texas in July 2025 and has since spread to 114 counties. The pest threatens forage and grazing lands that support the state's $15.5 billion cattle industry, according to the researchers. It has also been reported in Florida, Georgia and Louisiana. Immature mealybugs feed on plant sap and inject toxins that weaken grass, often leading to pasture dieback.
The researchers said the findings could eventually help ranchers manage the pest more precisely.