Texas livestock and hay producers facing a rapidly spreading invasive pasture pest finally have a new tool available to fight back.

Pasture mealybug has now been reported in 79 Texas counties after first being confirmed causing serious pasture damage in the state in 2025. The invasive insect attacks grasses used for grazing and hay production and has raised concerns about potentially significant losses to Texas’ livestock and forage industries.

Until recently, producers had no labeled pesticide considered effective against heavy pasture mealybug infestations. That changed Aug. 11 when Centric 40WG received emergency approval from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through a Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act Section 18 Crisis Emergency Exemption. The emergency authorization gives Texas producers the first effective chemical control option that can legally be recommended for pasture mealybug.

Pasture Mealybug Spreading Rapidly Across Texas

Pasture mealybug is a newly introduced pest in the United States that was first confirmed causing significant pasture damage in Texas during the spring of 2025. Since then, the insect has moved aggressively through Texas grasslands. Earlier reports placed confirmed infestations in 70 counties, but that number has now increased to 79.

The pest feeds on numerous native and improved warm-season grasses important to Texas agriculture, including bermudagrass, bahiagrass, bluestems and johnsongrass. Immature mealybugs use piercing and sucking mouthparts to feed on plant sap and produce a sugary substance known as honeydew, which can promote the growth of sooty mold on grass leaves and interfere with photosynthesis.

An even greater concern is the toxic saliva the insects inject into grass while feeding. The damage weakens plants and makes them more vulnerable to secondary infections. Severe infestations can lead to a condition known as pasture dieback, causing grass to yellow or brown, thin dramatically and potentially die.

Potential Economic Impact Could Be Significant

The threat extends beyond individual pastures and hayfields because healthy forage is a foundation of Texas’ massive livestock industry. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension assessments have estimated that approximately 20.4 million acres of rangeland and improved pasture lie within counties where pasture mealybugs have been confirmed. When counties considered under imminent threat are included, the total reaches approximately 35.7 million acres.

Early economic estimates indicate annual direct forage and grazing losses could range from approximately $100 million to more than $1 billion depending on infestation severity and the number of acres affected. The expense could climb even higher if damaged pastures must be replanted. Some improved forage varieties, particularly bermudagrass hayfields, are costly to reestablish, and widespread pasture replacement could potentially result in another $1 billion to $2 billion in one-time costs statewide.

For livestock producers, reduced grazing capacity can also mean increased supplemental feed costs, fewer animals supported per acre and additional pressure on already tight operating margins. Hay producers could experience reduced yields and declining stand quality, while extensive grassland damage could also affect wildlife habitat and hunting operations.

Emergency Approval Gives Producers a New Option

Until the recent emergency approval, chemical control options were extremely limited. The insecticide Sefina has shown an ability to suppress light pasture mealybug populations but has not provided adequate control of heavy infestations.

Centric 40WG has now received a Section 18 Crisis Emergency Exemption for use against pasture mealybug in Texas. The Texas Department of Agriculture lists the emergency use for up to 5 million acres of pasture grasses and rangeland, subject to EPA requirements.

The exemption is not a permanent registration and does not mean producers should automatically treat damaged or yellowing pastures. The insect should first be properly identified, and producers must carefully follow all requirements of the emergency exemption label.

Proper Application Is Critical

Texas A&M AgriLife experts emphasize that successful treatment depends heavily on getting the insecticide to the areas where mealybugs are actively feeding. Pasture mealybugs favor tall, dense forage, which can make adequate spray coverage difficult.

In heavily infested hayfields with tall grass, current recommendations call for cutting or shredding the forage first. Treatment can then be considered after approximately 6 to 8 inches of green regrowth has developed. Removing the dense grass canopy can reduce the existing mealybug population while allowing better insecticide coverage of the shorter regrowth.

Green plant tissue is also important because Centric is absorbed into the leaves and taken up by mealybugs as they feed. Producers should not expect the same activity when applying the product to brown, dead grass or bare stubble.

Anyone using Centric under the emergency exemption must have the exemption label in their possession at the time of application and follow the current label requirements. These include application rates, approved sites, grazing and hay harvest intervals and any geographic or use restrictions.

Scout Before You Spray

Early detection remains an important part of managing pasture mealybug. Producers should inspect the edges of damaged areas as well as yellowing or reddish leaves, the undersides of lower leaves, thatch and the soil surface. Small immature mealybugs can be difficult to see, making a hand lens helpful when examining suspicious plants.

Scouting should not stop with actively managed pastures and hayfields. Grassy areas along creeks, draws, roadsides, field edges and other less-managed portions of a property may provide habitat where populations can survive unnoticed. Sheltered locations with grass, moisture and warmer conditions could also provide overwintering habitat.

Managing excess forage may help reduce populations as well. Grazing, haying and other practices that prevent a tall, dense grass canopy can make conditions less favorable for the pest. Producers should also take precautions to avoid carrying mealybugs between fields on livestock and equipment. Previous AgriLife testing has indicated the insects are highly unlikely to survive beyond two weeks in baled hay.

Producers Encouraged to Stay Alert

The emergency approval of Centric provides Texas producers with an important new management option, but researchers continue studying pasture mealybug, its spread and the most effective long-term strategies for controlling it. With confirmed infestations now reported in 79 Texas counties, producers throughout the state are encouraged to monitor pastures and hayfields closely rather than waiting for widespread dieback to occur.

Unusual areas of yellowing, browning or thinning grass should be investigated, particularly when the damage cannot easily be explained by drought, disease or other common pasture problems. Suspected infestations can be reported to the local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension office, where producers can also obtain assistance with identification and current management recommendations.

Before making any pesticide application, producers should consult the current Centric 40WG Section 18 emergency exemption label and Texas Department of Agriculture requirements. Emergency exemptions and their conditions can change, making the current label — not previous recommendations — the controlling guidance for legal application.