Chinch Bug

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Hemiptera: Blissus leucopterus

Description

The adult chinch bug is about 4 mm (0.16 in) long when fully developed. The adults’ bodies vary in colour from dark red to brown with white wings. Young nymphs are half the size of adults, and usually bright red in colour with white strips across their back.

Life Cycle

Adult chinch bugs begin to appear on lawns in the spring when they move from their winter places to begin feeding and mating. The eggs are laid and hatch when the daytime temperature exceeds 15 °C. Chinch bugs complete five nymphal stages before maturing into adults. The first nymphal stage is red in colour and wingless. The nymphs darken to black and develop wings as they mature into adults.

Damage

Chinch bugs reside in the thatch layer of a lawn (organic debris on the surface of the soil), where they feed on the sap of grass plants. Chinch bugs have piercing-sucking mouthparts. When they begin feeding, they release enzymes into the grass that facilitate feeding. The enzyme continues damaging the plant after feeding and causes the grass to turn brown and potentially die. Chinch bugs tend to aggregate, which results in localized dead patches. Damage generally becomes more prevalent in summer when temperatures get hot and drought.

Get rid of Chinch Bug

You can successfully control Chinch Bugs in your lawn and garden using the natural pest control products below:

  • Flea & Chinch Ball / Nematode Sprayer Combo
  • Nema Globe Flea & Chinch Bug Buster

Advice

  • Aerate your lawn in spring to reduce soil compaction
  • Remove thick layers of thatch in the fall
  • Do not over-fertilize because this will encourage greater insect activity.

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