Have rusty brown spots in your lawn that just seem unrecoverable? The culprit could be chinch bugs, and it’s essential that you control them now for a healthier lawn next season. These tips can help.
What Are Chinch Bugs? 
If you haven’t yet seen a chinch bug, identification is an essential step. They’re usually about 3/16 of an inch in length, and they usually have long black bodies as well as wings. The nymphs are usually orange-red in color and you’ll see a pale band across the middle of them. They love to eat almost any grass they can find, and your lawn is the perfect place for them to nest.
Keeping Them Out
There are actually a number of things you can do to keep the chinch bugs out of your lawn. First, remember to properly mow your lawn for the season. In the warmer months, this is probably going to mean once or twice a week. As it gets cooler, though, it could be as little as once every two weeks. Don’t cut the grass too close, either. Second, you’ll want to keep the amount of thatch in your lawn to a complete minimum. If it gets too thick, usually more than an inch, it’s time to dethatch, or at least talk to your lawn care service about handling it for you. Better fertilization tactics can help too. Rapid growth from too much fertilizer can cause a cinch bug infestation, so look into a twice a year fertilization program from a professional service.
The single best way to keep chinch bugs off of your lawn is to work with a professional company on prevention. If you already have them on your lawn, it is time to call Slug-A-Bug your Brevard County lawn and pest control service immediately and eliminate the problem now, as well as keep it from coming back in the future.