Lawns can make or break the overall appearance of your yard. Thick, lush, green grass can give the appearance of a healthy and luxurious lawn while stringy, thin, discolored grass gives the appearance of a lawn that is suffering from some disease or pest infestation. One such pest that can find safe harbor in your lawn is the chinch bug. Let’s look at the basics of this annoying lawn pest: identification, damage and management.
Identification – Chinch bugs are about 1/6 inch long, have gray-black bodies with fine hairs, white wings, and reddish legs. The outer margin of each forewing has a small, black, triangular spot. The wings of the adult are folded flat over their backs. Chinch bug populations frequently go unnoticed because of their small size and coloration, which blends in with turfgrass and thatch. If you are having trouble identifying these pests try a trick recommended by the University of Maine Plant Division. “A coffee can with both ends cut out can be used to detect the bug and the number present. Force one end of the can into the soil, fill with water, then watch for chinch bugs to float to the top.”
Damage – Hairy chinch bugs prefer feeding on red fescues, perennial ryegrass, bentgrass, and Kentucky bluegrass. Chinch bug infestations frequently occur in turfgrass with thick thatch that is exposed to full sunlight during periods of hot, dry weather. Chinch bug nymphs and adults cause significant feeding damage by removing plant fluids and by injecting a toxin that causes the grass to yellow, turn reddish brown, and eventually die. Chinch bug damaged areas often coalesce into large patches of dead, brown grass.
Management– Managing these pests can take many different forms from cultural to chemical. Cultural management techniques may include monitoring the appropriate amount of moisture and fertilizer via soil tests and rain gauges. Removing excess thatch and aeration techniques keep a lawn healthy are free of pests. In addition, improve soil conditions by top-dressing with organic matter, such as compost or well-aged animal manure.Encourage or purchase commercially available beneficial bugs such as ladybugs and lacewings,which will feed on a large numbers of these pests. If these methods do not stop your infestation you may need to consult a professional lawn care company such as Pro-Tech to treat your lawn and eradicate the problem.