What’s about the size of fruit flies or gnats, terrorizes your lawn (and garden), but can often be controlled simply by changing your turf? Why, it’s none other than the chinch bug!
Let’s take a look at ways to get rid of these grass terrors, as well as some simple ways to keep them away. Then we’ll circle back and get to know more about these bugs and whether you should be worried about their presence.
Getting Rid of Chinch Bugs
Chinch bug infestations are easier to deal with than it might seem at first. Surprisingly, beyond the usual chemical solution, basic lawn care can actually be deadly to these pests.
Chemical Solutions
Look for insecticides containing bifenthrin, carbaryl, or trichlorfon (in that order). While all three are effective, bifenthrin is the safest while trichlorfon have be harsh on your lawn.
Two excellent products are Talak (7.9% bifenthrin) and Bifen L/P granules. The granules remain effective for three months, while Talak is a broad-spectrum insecticide that can be sprayed over your entire lawn using a pump sprayer or backpack sprayer (manual or battery powered) to provide protection from a range of pests.
Talak (generic version of Talstar P) is what I personally use in my yard to treat for chinch bugs, mosquitoes, and other nasty insects.
- VERSATILE PARTNER, PROVEN EFFECTIVENESS: Talak 7.9% Indoor/Outdoor Insect...
- ONE SOLUTION COVERS IT ALL: Our water-based formula can be used indoors and...
- BROAD-SPECTRUM INSECT KILL: Talak 7.9% Indoor/Outdoor Insect Control targets...
Of course, there are plenty of other excellent products out there. Check the label to see if it’s labelled for beetles and/or chinch bugs. In general, having one of the three mentioned active ingredients (bifenthrin is best) will most likely do the trick for this particular pest, but an insecticide that specifies your target critter will generally have the best results.
General Lawn Care
Simply maintaining a healthy lawn can control or even kill a chinch bug population. The following two methods will keep your lawn looking great while mowing down these critters (no pun intended).
Watering
When dealing with hot, dry weather, you’ll naturally want to water your lawn. But doing so does more than just add moisture to the soil. Both nymph and adult chinch bugs are susceptible to fungal infections which can spread quickly and are deadly to these pests.
It’s important to water the entire lawn, either with a sprinkler system or manually. This prevents the bugs from simply relocating to a dryer spot.
Also, watering in morning (around sunrise or shortly after) is ideal on hot, sunny days. Try to avoid running your sprinklers too late at night as will increase the odds of your lawn developing some type of fungus infection.
Generally, an average of 1 to 1.5 inches per week of rainfall or watering is enough. It’s a good idea to perform a catch can audit to see how much water your lawn is actually getting.
Winter Thatch Treatment
When cold weather approaches, these bugs will hide in the topsoil to hibernate. You can take advantage of this by grabbing a rake and raking up the thatch.
In the process, you’ll be turning the uppermost layer of soil, dislodging and exposing eggs and nymphs so the cold can kill them. This is also very beneficial for overall lawn health.
Natural Methods
Chances are, if you’re using natural insecticides, you may already be taking out these critters in the process. Here are a couple great options:
Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
Food-grade DE is one of our favorite remedies for plant pests. It’s non-toxic to humans and pets (unless you try snorting or eating it by the handful), can deter small critters such as mice and rats, and will lacerate small bugs such as insects or spiders, killing them.
Simply sprinkle it on your lawn every 2-3 days (and after it rains). The DE will do the rest.
The biggest problem with DE is that loses its effectiveness when wet. But once it completely dries, it still works to a degree. But because of that, diatomaceous earth may not be a good option in many cases.
Insecticidal Soap
This is a great option because you can get natural insecticidal soap made from plants. Simply mix it into a spray bottle or sprayer and use it when you water the lawn.
Will Neem Oil Work?
Neem is another go-to for most bugs. Unfortunately, there are no studies on its effectiveness against chinch bugs, despite what some other online sites claim.
Preventing Chinch Bugs
Considering how effective simple lawn maintenance is at eliminating chinch bugs, the saying “prevention is the best medicine” is perhaps more true than ever. Here are some basic lawn care practices that will actually deter these pests and prevent them from laying eggs.
- Fertilize your lawn regularly. This can be anywhere from 2 (spring and autumn) to 5+ applications per year. This all depends on the type of fertilizer used and how important it is for you to have the nicest lawn on the block. But other than having a nice looking lawn, fertilizers ensure the grass blades are healthy enough to withstand a good deal of chinch bug damage.
- Mow your lawn 1-2 times a week during its growing season to keep it at a height of three or four inches (lower for some grass varieties). Not only will this keep the grass looking tidy (and deter grasshoppers and similar pests in the process), but the regular trimming will encourage a stronger, healthier root system.
- Regular watering, especially in drought conditions, will encourage chinch bugs to look elsewhere to eat and breed. Ideally, you will want the equivalent of one to one and a half inches of water per week.
- Finally, aerate your lawn annually. As mentioned before, this will dislodge any hibernating bugs, including chinch bugs and click beetles. It will also help encourage healthier root growth.
Getting to Know Chinch Bugs
There are 27 known species of chinch bug, all from the genus Blissus, although only three have major notoriety in the US. Let’s go ever the distinguishing features and range of each.
The word chinch is related to the Spanish word for bed bug, which has a similar size and odor if squished. Oddly enough, they are classified as beetles despite having no larval or pupal stage.
Identifying Chinch Bugs
The three worst species can be hard to identify due to their tiny size. However, you can usually figure out the species based on where you live and (if you get a close enough look or capture one) its coloration.
Blissus insularis (Southern Chinch Bug)
As of 2023, this pest has a known range from Hawai’i, California, and Nevada east along the Gulf states to South Carolina, as well as the Caribbean. It can also be found in Central America and is slowly invading Europe and South America.
This species has five instars that change in coloration: yellow, reddish with yellow legs and a white band on the abdomen, two yellowish instars with a white band, and brown-black with a white band. Adults are black with red on their legs and the base of the antennae.
Their wings are white with a black spot along the forewing edge. The first instar is only .03 inches long, while the adults are .12 to .24 inches long.
Blissus leucopterus (True Chinch Bug)
Found in dry, hot areas throughout the US and neighboring countries, the true chinch bug is better known for one of its subspecies, the hairy chinch bug (Blissus leucopterus hirtus).
The nymphs begin bright red with a white band on the abdomen that slowly darkens to black. Adults are dark red to brown and have red legs and white wings. Measuring around .16 inches long, they’re often hard to spot.
Blissus occiduus (Western Chinch Bug)
Similar in appearance to the true chinch bug, this species is most easily identified by its wing dimorphism. It also has a notorious preference for buffalograss. Found in both Central America and the western portions of North America, most studies of this species have occurred in Nebraska where buffalograss fields are abundant
What Do Chinch Bugs Eat?
These pests love to snack on grasses and grains. Some of the most common victims are:
- Barley
- Bermuda grass
- Buffalograss (western chinch bug)
- Maize
- Oats
- Red fescue
- Rye
- St. Augustine grass
- Sorghum
- Wheat
- Zoysia grass
They prefer to focus on the stems and crowns of these plants, feeding on the sap.
Identifying Chinch Bug Damage
You’re more likely to spot the effects of these pests rather than the pests themselves. Their saliva interferes with the plant’s ability to transfer water. This results in the victim blade turning yellow, then brown and dying. Once a blade is dead, the bug will move on to another one. The damage will resemble drought conditions.
At first the damage may only affect a few random blades, but you’ll soon begin to notice expanding patches of yellow or dead grass. These tiny beetles are most active between June and September, with the effects of their feeding becoming obvious around August. However, this timeframe may vary based on our local climate.
Testing for Chinch Bugs
There are a few ways to identify an infestation before it starts affecting your lawn or garden.
Can Method
Grab an opened can (preferably a larger one) and cut the bottom off of it. Go outside and place the can on your lawn, pressing it slightly into the soil, then pour some water into it.
After about 10 minutes, any present chinch bugs will begin floating. Note that you may have to add additional water if the ground soaks it up too fast.
Visual Spotting
If you don’t mind getting down and dirty, you can simply grab a magnifying glass and get on the ground. Gently rake the grass with one hand while you use your magnifier to spot any bugs that are dislodged or uncovered.
As spot checking is rather tedious, you may wish to reserve this method for when you have a strong suspicion of an infestation.
Morgan is a certified entomologist and pest control consultant and a member of the National Pest Management Association.
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