Chinch Bugs and Lawns

Chinch Bugs are tiny (from about the size of a pin head to 1/5 inch for adults) and they are extremely difficult to see in the lawn. Often they ruin a lawn completely before their presence is known. They do their damage by sucking vital plant fluids from the grass. Chinch bugs become active when temperatures reach the high 70s, and their damage peaks in periods of hot, dry weather. Damage shows up as areas of grass that become yellowish and then turn to a lifeless brown. The damage by Chinch Bugs is often mistaken for drought, but the grass does not recover with watering. Indeed, the damage is a complete kill, and the grass cannot recover. Chinch bugs can be controlled with a lawn insect control formula.