FLORIDA BUGS: WHAT ARE CHINCH BUGS?

Overview

The weather is getting warmer and Florida’s bugs are coming back out once again. There are a massive number of bugs in Florida but there’s one lone bug that causes one of the most irritating issues related to Florida in the spring time, and that’s the chinch bug. The chinch bug is well known for causing damage.

What Are Chinch Bugs?

Chinch bugs are tiny bugs that move from lawn to lawn in residential areas, leaving destruction in their wake. This lawn pest can be very difficult to spot because they’re so small: fully-grown adults are only around a quarter of an inch long. Juveniles are a red color but as they grow, they turn brown and white before becoming black with a small white spot on their backs. They can fly but most walk instead of flying. In some areas, they will hibernate in the winter but in warmer climates, they can be present all year round!

What Problems Do They Cause?

If you’re wondering what damage such small bugs could possibly do, you’ll be surprised. Many people hire pest control services to take care of chinch bugs due to the massive damage that they can do to lawns. Chinch bugs survive by sucking moisture out of blades of grass. Once they’ve taken the moisture out of the grass, they inject a toxin into the grass which kills it. If you don’t spot chinch bugs before they’ve made a feast of your lawn, you’ll be left with spots that look like drought, with dead grass ruining your previously pristine lawn. The dead grass will turn yellow and weeds will start to sprout up amid the dead grass, too.

Florida Bugs: How to Get Rid of Chinch Bugs

If you’ve started spotting chinch bugs in your lawn, it’s not too late to get rid of them and protect your lawn. You will need to call out a pest control specialist to get rid of your chinch bugs by using treatments. The best way to prevent them from taking hold of your lawn is to ensure that your lawn is in great shape. Applying fertilizer and other nutritional substances to your lawn, actively weeding the lawn, and maintaining great irrigation are key to strong grass, which is more likely to resist damage from the bugs. If it’s too late and you’ve started spotting the bugs in your lawn, we’re here to help. Our experts can help with both outdoor and indoor pests, including chinch bugs and other lawn pests. If you’d like to arrange an inspection and discuss possible solutions, get in contact with us.