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Friday’s Feature
By
Theresa Friday
July 15, 2006
Chinch bugs are not always a cinch to control
The dry, hot weather is causing some major problems in our lawns. While many dry spots are directly related to
the lack of rain, one indirect effect of prolonged drought stress is an increase in southern chinch bug
infestations. If any area of your St. Augustine lawn is beginning to yellow and die, be on the look out for chinch
bugs.
The southern chinch bug is the most damaging insect pest of St. Augustinegrass. While this pest may
occasionally attack other turfgrasses and weeds, St. Augustinegrass is its primary host.
Chinch bugs are very small. Adults are only about 1/8 of an inch long and are
gray-black to dark chestnut-brown. Their wings are white but have a black
spot in the middle, making it look like they have a white “X” on their backs.
The immatures, or nymphs, vary in color and markings. Very young nymphs
are bright orange with a cream colored band across the abdomen. Nymphs
darken as they mature.
Chinch bugs have needle-like mouthparts and feed by inserting their slender
beak into the grass and sucking the plant juices. As the chinch bug sucks the
plant juices, it releases a toxin that causes yellowish to brownish patches in
the lawn. The damaged area resembles drought injury-- the grass yellows,
then dries and becomes straw-like.
This pest is