The second and third instars are saclike. Rhodesgrass mealybug is a problem from Florida, through the Gulf States to California. There are more than 60 grass hosts but other than those mentioned above, the other grasses are only occasionally or lightly infested. 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.
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. Control with granular or soil drench systemics is costly but effective.