Chinch Bugs ساس ها

Once chinch bugs become established they can rapidly kill your turf.  Even though they prefer some grasses, most any grass can become food for them.

The adult Chinch Bug is 1/6 to 1/5 inch long. It has red legs, a black body and full wings.

The nymphs are smaller and are orange in color. Both adult and nymphs are turfgrass eaters and can do a large amount of damage overnight. The turfgrass will look as though it were burned with a chemical (Dry and yellow to orange). The first thing you think to do is to fertilize or water. This only intensifies the attack and does more damage.

The lifecycle of these pests begins in the early spring when the female Chinch Bug lays up to 300 eggs in the soil. These eggs hatch into red or red-orange nymphs as small as 1mm long and barely detectable with a hand lens. Within a few days, these nymphs become adults. Adult lifecycles range from 70 days in the south to as short as 8 days in the north.

The entire lifecycle, from egg to adult, varies by temperature and region - from as short as six weeks to as long as 17 weeks. And there can be anywhere from seven generations per year in the south to as few as one generation in the north.

Chinch bugs attack turf in a group so their damage is quickly visible.  They eat until all the turf is gone so you must be prepared to battle them quickly.  They damage the turfgrass with their piercing, sucking mouth parts.  They inject a salivary fluid into the crowns and stems and then they suck out the plants fluids.  Their saliva disrupts water conducting vessels in the blade causing it to turn yellow, orange and then brown.  The turf blade becomes brittle as if it were burned by heat or chemical.

Their favorite grass would have to be St. Augustine, but most any turfgrass can be a target.  You must be able to detect and identify them to stop them.  The biggest mistake someone can make is to assume that the turf is hungry and needs fertilizer or thirsty and needs water.  Water and fertilizer intensifies the attack of the chinch bug.

The chinch bug is very small and fast so visually spotting them is tough.  They will hide from you before you can find them.  A very easy way to check for Chinch Bugs is with a coffee can. Cut both ends out of the can (empty the coffee out before cutting open the bottom). Sink the can into the edge of the damaged area and fill the can with water. Be sure and don't let the can go dry or over flow. Within a few minutes you will see small black specs floating on the surface of the water.

Do this test anytime you suspect that you might have them.   As soon as you see a hot spot, test it immediately.  If you do have them, insecticides such as Dursban, Oftanol, Sevin, Tempo and Turcam will kill them easily.   Repeat applications may be needed.