Mid-Coast IPM

01/28/2026

Here's another good article from the guys in Australia who have been working on managing pasture mealybug and pasture dieback for a number of years. https://futurebeef.com.au/spring-opportunities-for-pasture-dieback-affected-paddocks/
Hope this is useful.

What can you expect to see this spring in dieback affected areas and what might this mean for pasture development opportunities?

01/22/2026

An answer to one of our questions about pasture mealybugs.

Pasture mealybugs over-winter underground, so planting tolerant species ready for the summer is one way of managing pasture dieback.

10/09/2025

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service has released a new fact sheet to help forage producers and ranchers identify and monitor the pasture mealybug, an invasive pest recently confirmed in multiple Texas counties.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service released a new fact sheet to help forage producers and ranchers ID and monitor the pasture mealybug.

08/30/2025

https://agrilife.org/mid-coast-ipm/pasture-mealybug-update-8-30-2025/

The species of this mealybug has still not been determined. I expect to hear from the identifier soon, but these identifications can sometimes take time because they want to be sure to get an accurate identification which may include DNA analysis. Several questions have been asked about how the meal...

08/23/2025

Here is my latest update on the pasture mealybug:

Once we know the species, we should get a clearer picture on the biology of the mealybug which may lead to better understanding of how to manage the pest. I hope to hear from the identifier next week. In Australia, there are mealybugs that effects their pastures. They call it the pasture mealybug an...

08/12/2025

New information from the mealybug insecticide control tests.

A mealybug has become a problem in many pastures and hayfields of South Texas. On July 28, I sprayed an insecticide control test near near Nursery, TX. Yesterday, we visited the test to assess the control obtained in the treatments. The data from this test is discussed.

07/29/2025

https://agrilife.org/mid-coast-ipm/mealybugs-in-pastures-and-hayfields/

Many pastures and hayfields are experiencing an unusual insect problem. These fields have areas of various size that are red to brown and look like some or all of the grass is dead or dying. %

07/05/2025

Here is the latest South Taxas Audio Update.

South Texas Agricultural Pest Management Update for 7.3.2025. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.

06/30/2025

We are finding bollworms in 2-gene bt cotton this morning. Need to be checking all cotton fields for worms. A good threshold is 6% damaged fruit (squares and bolls).

05/30/2025

New posts with updated information on IPM and southern rust in corn. https://agrilife.org/mid-coast-ipm/

05/28/2025

Yesterday, we found southern rust in a few corn fields in Victoria county. Management decisions should be based on crop maturity and disease severity. Read the attached bulletin for more info.

05/12/2025

Started finding more cotton fleahoppers in Calhoun County today. They aren’t in every field but some fields are well above threshold. All fields with squaring cotton need to be checked this week.
A couple of years ago, we started scouting cotton with lawn vacuums, and the attached Picture shows a cotton flea hopper on the pantyhose we use for the net in the vacuum.