Medina commissioners updated on twin threats to ranchers

By Anton Riecher
Medina County commissioners received the latest update Monday from county extension agent Taryn Titsworth on efforts to control twin threats plaguing Texas agriculture this summer – Pasture Mealybug and the New World Screwworm.
Pasture mealybug, also known as Heliococcus summervillei, has only started grabbing headlines recently. Since mid-April 2025, southern Texas pasture and hay producers in communities such as Victoria have been reporting major damage from the invasive species.
As of June 14, infestation of pasture mealybug has been identified in 50 Texas counties. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) identified pasture mealybug in Medina County as early as April 2023, Titsworth said.
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