The southern chinch bug will sometimes overwinter in a temporary dormant state in northern florida, the southern chinch bug usually stays active during the winter sheltered around the roots and base of st. Kevin is the communications and marketing coordinator at ufifas extension sarasota county. Chinche may also be used when referring to a bed bug. Florida grub control and preventative treatment problem. Learn more about these pests including how to control chinch bugs. How to treat chinch bugs without chemicals with pictures. Its already chinch bug season, and now is the time to protect our landscapes from this destructive lawn pest before it multiplies and causes turf damage. Chinch bug populations in the southeast are active yearround, with the occasional winter season dormancy period for adults when conditions are cold.
Granules can be applied to your lawn, around your foundation, and on flower and vegetable gardens on listed vegetables. You may have heard areas in florida refer to the summer months as chinch bug season. For those reasons, its important to seek out chinch bug control in orlando or. An annoying but minor pest in other types of turfgrass, the southern chinch bug blissus insularis is a major problem for floratam. The formula kills chinch bugs and other listed insects by contact, above and below the soil, and creates a bug barrier in your lawn for 3 months. Tropical sod webworm is another pest active on warm season. Chinch bug elimination, identification, controlling bugs. Chinch bug activity also usually begins near impervious surfaces, such as driveways, sidewalks, and curbs. The first step to chinch bug control is finding out if you have them. Learn how to find chinch bugs and identify chinch bug damage with our chinch bug inspection guide. We are currently the only state in the union without snow on the ground. Chinch bugs uf entomology and nematology university of florida.
Southern chinch bug was first found in the united states in orange county, nc in 1783 and ever since then chinch bug has become a notorious pest throughout the southern united states. Chinch bug activity slows down temporarily with the colder winter temperatures found in north central florida and is year round in floridas southern region. Severe damage tends to occur from march through november in southern florida and from april through october in northern florida. What are you using to control chinch bugs in florida. Florida chinch bug control chinch bug identification nozzle nolen. For this reason, chinch bugs control is especially important for the health of your lawn. The pests are most active in late june through early september. How to avoid chinch bug lawn damage turner pest control. In northern florida, where it is cooler, southern chinch bugs are active from approximately march to october and have 3 to 4 generations per year. Chinch bug treatment options in florida mccall service.
The western chinch bug kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass, fescues and zoysia grass. The southern chinch bug, blissus insularis barber, is one of the most. Chinch bugs can totally ruin a lawn in 3 weeks if no control methods are taken. Identification inspection chinch bug control suggested products chinch bugs, their damage and elimination. Chinch bugs in florida lawns ufifas extension sarasota.
In southern florida, there are approximately 7 to 10 generations per year kerr 1966. Augustine grass near where the blade of grass touches the soil. He joined the county in 2015, having previously worked as a reporter for newspapers in florida and illinois, largely writing about ecological and scientific issues, and as. The best time of year to treat for chinch bugs in st. Augustinegrass, southern chinch bug populations can. Chinch bug identification and treatment can be difficult. Chinch bugs in florida lawns ufifas extension sarasota county. If you were looking for a perfect environment for chinch bugs, florida would be it. Tom maccubbin is known to gardeners in florida through his radio, television, and. Chinch bug damage can often be confused with drought stress or lawn disease, so its crucial to learn the signs of chinch bugs and how to inspect for them in your turf. You may see them on grasses such as zoysia, bermuda, and centipede, but infestations usually occur where high populations have built up on st.
However, as the season progresses, generations tend to overlap, so all stages are. Chinch bugs tend to feed in groups, so dead patches of grass appear and seem to get larger as the insects spread through the grass. Chinch bugs hot and dry weather is ideal for pests like chinch bugs. Chinch bugs can be found throughout the united states, southern canada, mexico and central america.
A few small dead areas in the lawn can quickly spread, killing large sections that are costly to replace. Chinch bugs in lawns that are heavily infested will emit a strong unpleasant odor if trod upon. The chinch bugs here are mostly resistant to normal applications, and i was wondering what everyone else in florida does against them. Augustine lawns chinch bugresistant grass varieties make it possible to confidently install chinch bugfree lawns, but full replacement of an. So what is created is a fire storm of activity well feed chinch bugs are more fertile and create more chinch bugs and more chinch bugs create more hot dry st augustine turf grass to feed on it is a logarithmic expansion of predator and prey. Southern chinch bugs can rapidly damage a lawn and cause widespread plant death.
Chinch bug damage usually appears first in hot sunny areas as small brown areas that gradually enlarge as the bugs move out of dead spots and into green turf, especially in. It is the most commonly encountered member of the genus blissus, which are all known as chinch bugs. Florida chinch bug control chinch bug identification. Augustine grass insect pest, involves vigilance and management. The southern chinch bug displays a preference for st. Once they reach adulthood in midjuly, they move out into your lawn and suck all the sappy goodness from the crowns and. Southern chinch bug thrives in the warm wet summer months and infestations peak during early july. Augustine grass, they will infest other grass species.
There are multiple species of chinch bugs that feed on turfgrasses and crop plants such as corn, sorghum and wheat. If you live in gainesville, jacksonville, tampa, or elsewhere in florida, you already know chinch bug problems can be difficult to prevent, which is why many of our clients opt to receive regular service to keep lawns free of chinch bugs and other lawn pests. In florida, the southern chinch bug is a serious insect pest of st. Control the weed man houston, tx is a trained specialist. Chinch bugs thrive in wet thatch, especially in overfertilized luxurious lawns. Chinch bugs in turf nc state extension publications. Chinch bugs lawn care resources weed man houston, tx. How to get rid of chinch bugs diynaturally 2020 bugwiz.
Eggs hatch in the warmer, summer months in about two weeks with an incubation period of just about 12 days. If you suspect you have chinch bugs, inspect the border between the brown and green grass for the tiny, blackandwhite adults or orange nymphs. How to know if your lawn has chinch bugs florida chinch. With their piercingsucking mouthparts, they feed on the sap of grass plants. Controlling chinch bugs begins with good cultural practices but may have to end with chemical intervention. Most people tend to overlook them because they are so small. Chinch bugs thrive in the southern united states and prefer st.
We have been using problem solved pest control for a couple. What is the season for chinch bugs on siesta key florida this year. Eggs hatch in 10 days and the young develop into adults in as little as 3 weeks. Augustinegrass is a fastgrowing, warmseason turfgrass used extensively in florida. The southern chinch bug thrives during the warm, damp summer months, and infestations peak in early july kerr 1966. Chinch bug, blissus leucopterus, important grain and corn pest belonging to the insect family lygaeidae order heteroptera. Augustine lawns the best recipe for controlling chinch bugs, a destructive st. Blissus leucopterus also known as the true chinch bug is a small north american insect in the order hemiptera and family blissidae. Adult chinch bugs are black with white wings and are 3. To check for chinch bugs, push a bottomless can into the ground near the edge of a dead patch of lawn and fill it with water. Chinch bugs are creatures that thrive in extreme heat. Chich bugs damage grass by feeding on the plant juices through a needleshaped beak causing lawns to develop yellow and brown patches. A closely related species is blissus insularis, the southern chinch bug the name of the chinch bug is derived from the spanish word chinche. Florida is a state with many pests including lawn pests.
Chinch bugs can and will destroy your whole lawn if allowed to multiply. You can often see them by examining the grass near the soil surface. Augustine grass and is the second most expensive plant feeding pest in florida. You may have heard areas in florida refer to the summer months as chinch bug season, and thats because the months of mayseptember are when these critters can do their maximum damage. Chinch bugs are most active when its warm, but may cause damage yearround, particularly in south florida. Southwest florida grub season normally begins in september. Chinch bugs love the heat of the florida climate and prefer sunny areas. Mccall service can help keep your home and outdoor spaces. For optimum quality, adequate irrigation and fertilization are required. Visual identification of chinch bugs can be difficult as they are no larger than 16 of an inch long. Chinch bug feeding usually results in scattered patches of wilted grass rather than widespread damage.
Augusinegrass in florida, floratam, was resistant to southern chinch bug at the time of its release in 1973. The chinch bug blissus insularis lays over 250 eggs during her lifetime, which is about 4 eggs per day. Chinch bugs mate quickly so the population can grow very fast. Though a native of tropical america, the chinch bug has extended its range to include much of north america. Its important to remember that not all brown grass indicates a chinch bug infestation. Augustine lawns especially during hot, dry weather. However, this resistance was overcome among florida southern chinch bug populations within 15 years of its release busey and center 1987. During grass growing season, mow your lawn weekly with a sharp lawnmower blade. Augustinegrass, and this preference has elevated the southern chinch bug to the second most expensive plant feeding arthropod in florida cherry and nagata 1997, kerr 1966. Chinch bugs gardening solutions university of florida. Augustine lawn but usually prefer areas in hot, dry locations such as along sidewalks or driveways. Thus, the southern chinch bug does not need to leave its feeding ground, and spring infestations often begin where the pest injury stopped the preceding season. Adult chinch bugs have white wings folded over their backs, and are 4 mm.
Chinch bugs are black with a white spot on their back between their wing pads. Killing them early will help prevent damage to your lawn later. Chinch bugs blissus insularis can be a serious problem for anyone who has a lawn, whether its a small backyard or a large grassy field. The southern chinch bug seams to have an affinity for st. To treat chinch bugs without chemicals, start by raking your lawn, then vacuuming it to try and catch the infestation before it spreads. If you were looking for a perfect environment for this pest, florida would be it. Typical chinch bug habitats are agricultural crops, native grasses, weeds, and lawns.
You may not know that you have a grub infestation until it has decimated a portion of your lawn. If you live in an area with a lot of chinch bug activity you may have to reapply in spring and fall to keep the population at manageable levels. Although chinch bugs are most commonly found feeding on st. The buffalograss chinch bug, blissus sp, is a common pest on buffalograss and resembles the hairy chinch bug. Chinch bug eggs begin to hatch in florida during early spring and continuing well into summer. The hairy chinch bug kentucky bluegrass, english ryegrass, red fescues, and bent grass. He can recognize the difference between a simple drought problem and a serious chinch bug infestation. They often scurry out of sight when the grass is disturbed, making them difficult to spot. These pests cause damage by piercing the runners with their mouth parts, sucking sap, dehydrating your turf and injecting a poison. This can make them especially troublesome for florida home and business owners. Augustinegrass is tolerant to saline irrigation and. If chinch bugs are present, they will usually float to the surface within a few minutes.
The more common species of chinch bugs and their preferred turf grasses are. Their early appearance is due to the warm and dry weather that we experienced in may in florida. The southern chinch bug, blissus insularis, is one of the most important insect pests of st. Insects that destroy floratam grass home guides sf gate. Chinch bugs belong to the scientific order hemiptera half wing. For northern florida, chinch bugs are most common march november. Augustine lawn, you likely know that the southern chinch bug is a big problem. The hairy chinch bug is a common type of chinch bug in eastern canada. Chinch bug damage is often overlooked because it looks similar to drought.
1467 820 462 283 722 902 874 808 1337 1423 1345 687 1307 459 1319 201 1375 615 497 1225 195 426 237 723 551 1293 210 684 106 175 682 1107 864 1115