It’s every homeowner’s fear to look down on their well cared for lawn and see yellow spots forming.  First, it’s just one small one, but then it grows.  Darn it.  You check the irrigation system to make sure the coverage is adequate.  And then you curse the skies for not raining nearly enough this summer.  But, why is it just in this area, and a little bit over there?  It seems to be spreading, too, so something needs to be done.

Because they’re tiny, they can be hard to spot.  At less than a quarter inch long, they are usually dark in color with small white wings and often a white dot on their backs.  Spotting the signs of chinch bug is usually more successful than finding the insect itself.  Therefore, if you spy yellow patches of grass that are not greening back up with more watering—but instead turn brown and die—chances are good you have a chinch bug problem.  To be sure, insert a metal cylinder into the soil and fill it with water.  After just ten minutes or so, the bugs will float to the top, revealing themselves and solving the mystery of what’s eating your lawn.

Chinch bugs (Blissus leucopterus) are a problem all over the country, but even more so in some areas, such as Southern California.  The drought conditions here can affect populations of hungry predators such as ants and lady bugs that would typically keep chinch bug numbers in check, and thus these resilient buggers are free to replicate…all over your lawn.

LANDSCAPE COMPANY NEAR ME

There are 2 reasons most clients contact us: to bring drive-up appeal to their home or to replace their current gardener. We take these two reasons to heart. We understand how important your landscape is to you. We are experts on drive-up appeal, water conservation landscaping, seasonal and climate planting, irrigation, and much more.

So, what to do if chinch bugs have taken hold of your lawn?  Fortunately, they are fairly easy to eradicate.  For one, most pesticides designed specifically for turfgrass will kill chinch bugs.  It’s important to use these correctly at the prescribed application rates and to note if the lawn should first be mowed or watered.  Always read the instructions before using a product like pesticides on your lawn.

If harsh chemicals are not your thing, a more natural approach might be found in diatomaceous earth (DE).  Made to treat parasites that harm livestock, DE is a desiccant that will dehydrate the bug, if its sharp particles don’t get to them first.

The most important way to prevent chinch bug damage is to not delay your investigation.  Even if you’re not sure, the experts at SB Evolution Landscape can help diagnose and treat your turf for a healthy and thriving lawn.