Rhodesgrass MealybugNymphs -- These scales are born live; that is, no egg stage exists. The first instar or crawler is oblong-oval, cream colored and very active. The second and third instars are saclike. They become sessile (non-mobile) and the body is enclosed in a felted waxy sac resembling that of the adult, except for size.
Host Plants -- Rhodesgrass, Johnsongrass, bermudagrass and St. Augustine grasses are preferred hosts of economic importance. There are more than 60 grass hosts but other than those mentioned above, the other grasses are only occasionally or lightly infested.
Damage -- Heavy infestations can kill infested grasses. Infested grass plants gradually turn brown and die. St. Augustine grass may become discolored and spots appear with severe infestations. Heavy infestations appear as an overdose of fertilizer that has caked around the grass nodes.
Life History -- The adults are parthenogenetic (no males) and reproduce ovoviviparously (live born) over a period of 50 days. The crawlers move about the plants actively, settling near the crown or lower nodes of the plants. The crawlers wedge themselves beneath a leaf sheath at the node, insert their mouthparts in the plant, and become sessile. Shortly afterwards, the felted white waxy sac is secreted. The life cycle requires 60 to 70 days with 5 generations annually.