Pasture Mealybug: A New Threat for Pasture Grass, Turfgrass, and Sugarcane in Florida

The pasture mealybug is a new invasive insect pest that has recently been detected in Florida and is causing concern for pasture, hay, turfgrass, and sugarcane producers. Real-time updates can be found on the UF/IFAS Extension Forage Team's Pasture Mealybug page.

The pasture mealybug (Heliococcus summervillei Brookes) is a grass-specialist insect pest (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha: Pseudococcidae) recently found in Florida that can be problematic for pastures, hayfields, sod production, turfgrass, and sugarcane. As of June 19^th, 2026, surveys have confirmed the mealybug in fifteen Florida counties including: Brevard, Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hardee, Hendry, Highlands, Indian River, Lee, Martin, Okeechobee, Osceola, Palm Beach, Polk, and St. Lucie. The most damage has been observed on limpograss and sugarcane, but several other grass species are being affected, including bahiagrass and bermudagrass. 

The Department of Entomology and Nematology maintains tripartite priorities consistent with the mandate given to full-service landgrant universities and associated experiment stations: Research, Extension, and Academics. These programs are facilitated with state funding, extramural contract and grant funding, donations and gifts, and the collaborative efforts of cooperating agencies and institutions. The Department has coordinated faculty efforts and strengths into what could be considered major thrust areas for the Department. These areas of emphasis include: Behavior, Ecology, and Systematics; Biological Control; Medical, Veterinary and Urban Entomology; Nematology; Pest Management; and Physiology, Biochemistry, and Genetics.