Southern chinch bug populations are often clumped rather than randomly scattered throughout lawns. More than one can usually be found in the bottom leaf sheath on a plant. Infestations may occur in open, sunny areas near sidewalks and driveways, as well as the middle of the lawn. Infested plants exhibit slower growth, turn yellow, and die. As their host plants die individual chinch bugs will walk to neighboring St. Augustine grass lawns to continue feeding.

Heavy infestations are easy to identify because large numbers of chinch bugs may migrate across sidewalks and driveways. Insects are most active on warm, sunny days in mid-afternoon.

Habitat:
Although chinch bugs feed on most turf grass species, they are especially fond of St. Augustine grass. They are currently the most difficult to control and damaging insect pest of this grass in Florida. Nymphs and adults feed on plant fluids within leaf sheaths, down in the thatch, killing the grass plants and allowing for weed buildup.

As the chinch bugs suck the plant juices with their slender beak, they release a toxin that causes yellowish to brownish patches in turf grass. Damage often appears as spreading patches of brown, dead grass. Chinch bugs love the sunshine and seldom attack lawns in dense, shady areas. Damage caused by them resembles drought stress. Discolored areas caused by chinch bug feeding that are in open sunlight several hours a day may be “hot spots” for chinch bug damage, and special attention should be paid to these areas when applying controls.

Interesting Fact:
To check if chinch bugs are present in your lawn, push one end of a can with both ends removed into the ground about 2-3 inches down. Fill with soapy water and watch for 5 minutes. If chinch bugs are present they will float to the surface. It is important to check areas where the yellow spots and green grass met in many different areas.

Control:
Excessive watering, fertilizing and fungicide use can cause lawn grasses to develop a thick thatch layer. Thatch is the accumulated layer of dead plant roots, stems, and rhizomes between the live plant and the soil. Insecticide treatments can also bind to the thatch layer instead of reaching these soil-dwelling pests. It should be removed mechanically to eliminate conditions that are favorable to chinch bug survival.

St Augustine grass should be mowed to a height of 3-4 inches. Proper mowing practices can make grass more tolerant to chinch bugs. Maintaining adequate moisture will increase the tolerance of turf grasses to feeding damage and will promote beneficial fungi that attack chinch bugs. Low nitrogen fertilization slows chinch bug reproduction, although the lawns regularly attacked by these insects, such as St. Augustine, are heavy feeders and prefer more fertilizer than other turf grasses.

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