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Identifying & Eliminating Chinch Bugs in St. Augustine Grass

Wherever St. Augustine grass grows, it is susceptible to the Blissus insularis Barber, commonly called the chinch bug. While chinch bug damage can be severe throughout North Texas, it’s important for homeowners around Southlake, Euless and the surrounding areas to be aware of these pests and have a turf insect treatment program in place.

How to identify and treat chinch bugs.

Chinch bugs actually cause millions of dollars worth of damage to grasses every year, whether it’s St. Augustine grass, Centipede, Zoysia and Bermuda grass. The latter varieties may be especially susceptible when they are grown near St. Augustine. And unfortunately, these pests might even be unintentionally transported into yards by lawn mowing services.

Identifying Chinch Bugs in Your Lawn

Early identification and treatment of chinch bugs is crucial to prevent extensive damage. Chinch bugs are small, measuring around 1/10th to 1/5th of an inch in length. Their bodies are black with white wings, and each wing has a dark triangle shape near the body. Some chinch bugs have short, non-functional wings, making them harder to identify by wing patterns alone. They use their specially adapted mouths to suck the phloem sap from grass blades, also injecting a toxin that damages and eventually kills the plant. This process causes patches of yellow or brown grass to appear in your yard.

Chinch bugs are dormant in the winter, and typically become active as temperatures warm up in spring. They can produce between three and six generations throughout the summer, with females laying up to 300 eggs over their lifespan of 7–8 weeks. This of course will lead to rapid spread and damage.

Chinch bug damage is most likely to occur in areas along the edges of the lawn, in full sunlight, or where water stress is high. Most commonly, damage appears as circular brown patches in mid to late summer. These patches are sometimes mistaken for brown patch fungal disease, root rot, drought or various other insect infestations. This can cause a delay in treating the real problem. By utilizing the help of a professional lawn care service, identifying the true cause of brown patches can be accomplished quickly so that the proper treatment can be applied.

Try this simple test to determine if you have chinch bugs. First, take an empty coffee can and cut off both ends. Push one end into the soil on the edge of a patch of damaged (but not dead) grass. Fill the can with water and observe it for a few minutes. If you see several of these small black bugs and larvae floating to the surface, you are likely dealing with a chinch bug infestation. If you find zero to one or two, try the test in another location. And if you still don’t find many chinch bugs using this method, you may have another problem with your lawn.

Treatment and Prevention of Chinch Bugs

Treatment options may include insecticide application to the affected areas. It’s important to note that some chinch bug populations have developed resistance to certain insecticides, making multiple applications necessary. We also recommend managing thatch levels with annual core aeration, as increased thatch can lead to a higher chinch bug population.

St. Augustine lawns require careful attention during the hot summer months to maintain their health and minimize pest risks. When grass shows signs of drought stress, immediate watering can help keep your lawn resistant against chinch bugs and other lawn-damaging pests and diseases.

Contact the Experts for Chinch Bug Treatment

When you suspect you have chinch bugs, call Green Top Lawn Care at (817) 684-4044 or contact us for a quote. We can quickly diagnose the problem and develop a customized treatment plan for your lawn.

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