Florida Department of Agriculture has announced a pest alert for the Lebbeck Mealybug.

This is an agricultural pest in many parts of the world on a variety of agricultural crops. In Florida, citrus, cotton, ornamentals and tropical plants would all be potential impacted crops.  In citrus growing areas of Jordan, where this insect had been a pest prior to introduction of biological controls, it caused such extensive damage that groves were burned in an effort to eradicate it (Stocks 2013). Losses in citrus groves are mainly due to premature fruit drop. (via pest alert)

The UF/IFAS Highlands County Extension office has announced a Grower Meeting on Thursday, July 18, 2019 at 10:00 AM at the Bert J. Harris Agricultural Center where UF/IFAS Extension Agents, Scientists and representatives from the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services Division of Plant Industry will be on hand to discuss this invasive pest. (Courtesy Florida Citrus Mutual)