Sorghum growers in northwest Texas are getting hit with sugarcane aphids that can hurt the quality or even kill the sweet plants used in cattle feed production.
A Texas A&M entomologist, Pat Porter, told the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal the infestation has caught sorghum growers on the Texas South Plains by surprise and can go from barely noticeable to a big problem in as little as five days.
He said it's uncertain why the tiny sugarcane aphids have switched from their namesake plants to sorghum.
The bugs suck plant juices through their straw-like mouths, leaving behind a sticky liquid waste that causes problems when growers use a combine for harvesting.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
