Suspected chinch bug damage on a residential lawn in Prince Albert's east hill. (Teena Monteleone/paNOW)

By Teena Monteleone

PEST MANAGEMENT

Dry patches in lawn may be chinch bugs, not drought

Jul 3, 2023 | 2:25 PM

A pesky insect appears to be marking more and more territory on residential lawns.

Chinch bugs feed off the grass and then kill it by injecting a toxin, leaving behind dead patches of grass in what was otherwise a healthy lawn.

Dwayne Nyholt, owner of Weed Man Prince Albert said his company has been responding to about 25 percent more calls this year for chinch bug complaints and its still early in the season.

“I would say they are also by far the majority of calls we get. There are a lot of ants, but the chinch bugs are by far more prevalent in the lawn,” said Nyholt. “The last few years, they’ve been getting worse.”

Chinch bugs can annihilate a yard in one season. (Photo courtesy Weedan.com)

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Nyholt said in the spring, the chinch bug numbers are fairly low, but they multiple quickly, especially after periods of heat and dry weather. He said homeowners often wait too long to treat an infestation because they assume the dry patches are drought damage.

“They can kill the grass quickly and you’ll eventually have to do a lot of reseeding or some resodding. So, the sooner you take care of them, the sooner your lawn can get back to a good state.”

And dealing with them early could also help prevent damage elsewhere, since the bugs can easily migrate to neighbouring lawns.

According to Health Canada chinch bugs like poorly tended lawns with compact soils, accumulations of thatch, a lack of moisture or an excess of nitrogen. Some helpful practices to discourage infestations and improve tolerance to damage include:

• If replanting grass, choose an insect-resistant, endophytic variety of tall fescue or rye grass (endophytes are naturally occurring fungi that kill lawn pests, including chinch bugs).
• Aerate the lawn in spring to reduce soil compaction.
• Remove thick layers of thatch (organic debris on the surface of the soil) in the fall. Keep in mind that some thatch may be needed to prevent winterkill in cold regions.
• Do not over-fertilize, since this will encourage greater insect activity.
• Use water-insoluble or slow-release nitrogen fertilizers. Using 1 kg of nitrogen per 100 m2 (approximately 2 lb per 1000 ft2) should be enough for most lawns.
• Keep soil moist to a depth of 6 to 8 cm (2.5 to 3.5 inches).
• Do not cut the grass too short. A length of 6 to 7.5 cm (2.5 to 3 inches) will help avoid stressing the grass.
• Add agricultural limestone when the soil pH is below 6.5.

Nyholt said homeowners can try to eradicate the chinch bugs with store bought products, but they aren’t as strong as commercial applications. The best option is to call a professional for an inspection to help first determine that it is an insect problem and not a disease.

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teena.monteleone@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @MonteleoneTeena