LUBBOCK, TEXAS (RFD NEWS) — Texas livestock producers are facing a second major pest threat as the pasture mealybug spreads rapidly across the state, damaging forage needed by cattle and other grazing animals.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension says the invasive insect has been confirmed in 70 counties since its discovery in 2025. It feeds on Bermuda grass, Bahia grass, bluestems, johnsongrass, and other warm-season forages. Severe infestations can cause pasture dieback, leaving fields thin, brown, or dead.
Control options remain limited. No pesticide is currently labeled to provide effective control, although researchers are seeking emergency approval for products that performed well in trials. Current guidance emphasizes early detection, grazing or cutting dense forage, and limiting movement between fields.
The economic risk is significant. More than 20 million acres of pasture and rangeland are already within infested counties. Estimated annual forage losses could range from $100 million to more than $1 billion, and statewide pasture reestablishment costs could reach $2 billion.
The pest adds pressure as producers manage the New World screwworm in livestock.
