Chinch bugs are quite small, with adults being 4mm and are blackish brown insects with two white marks on their backs. They suck the sap from grass, usually leaving random patches of dead grass, in large infestations your whole lawn can be affected.
They thrive in hot dry weather, and are most active on days when the temperature is above 20°C, typically affecting sunny areas first. They feed most heavily from mid-July to mid-August, and this window is the most effective control period.
Tips to eliminate them
If you are unsure if you have chinch bug, try parting the grass and looking at the base of the grass plants to look for them. If you’re still not sure try creating a cylinder by removing the top and bottom of a can and force one end of the cylinder into the infested soil. Now fill it with water and wait to see if they float to the surface. Once you’re sure they are chinch bugs begin treating with nematodes.
