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Rice delphacids are small insects that feed on the juices in rice plants. They carry a virus that can cause rice grains not to develop, resulting in a blank head. This rice grew Oct. 15, 2025, in Washington County, Mississippi.

STARKVILLE – Rice delphacid is a plant hopper that has been damaging Texas rice since 2015, and this invasive threat to Southern rice production made its appearance in Mississippi last year.

Rice delphacid is native to Central and South America and has been slowly moving north. In addition to Mississippi, it was found in Louisiana and Arkansas in 2025.