COLLEGE STATION, Texas - A rapidly spreading invasive insect is threatening Texas pastures and hayfields, raising concerns for the state's livestock industry as producers also prepare for the return of the New World screwworm.

What we know: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts say the pasture mealybug has now been confirmed in 70 Texas counties since it was first identified in the state in 2025.

The pest feeds by extracting sap from grasses and injecting toxins that weaken the plants, often causing a condition known as pasture dieback.