do birds eat chinch bugs

How chinch bugs cause damage to turf?

A range of grasses, including bentgrass, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and red fescue, are consumed by chinch bugs at all stages of development, including adults. Chinch bugs harm grass leaves by sucking the cell sap with their long, thin beaks, which they do as adults and nymphs. In addition to injecting toxins into grass leaves during feeding, they obstruct the leaf vascular system, which hinders the movement of nutrients and water. When lawns are heavily infested with Chinch bugs, irregular brown patches of dead grass appear in the sunny sections.

Life cycle of chinch bugs:

Three stages are involved in the development of chick bugs: egg, nymph, and adult. As adults, these bugs hibernate in protected places like between thick layers of thatch, beneath shrubs, and in leaf litter. The adults of overwintering Chinch bugs begin reproducing and resuming their diet of fresh turfgrass growth in the spring. After mating, females begin laying eggs. Each female deposits over 300 eggs on grass leaves or stems close to the ground during her 40–50 day life span. Under optimal environmental temperatures, eggs hatch within 7-15 days. Chinch bug nymphs begin feeding on grass foliage as soon as they emerge from their eggs. Over the course of four to six weeks while feeding on grass, nymphs undergo five molts, or cuticle sheds, and go through five developmental stages, or instars, before becoming adults (6th stage) These adults mate in July and August and begin to lay eggs. Then, as previously mentioned, the second generation nymphs emerge from the eggs, feed through October, go through several growth stages, and mature into adults who are prepared to overwinter when cold weather arrives.

Chinch bugs: one the most severe pests of turf foliage

Because their mouthparts are designed to pierce and sucke, chick bugs are considered true bugs. e. long, thin beak for extracting grass leaf cell sap Young stages of chinch bug are called nymphs. When nymphs hatch, they are yellow in color, but as they molt through the stages of development, their color or body markings change from yellow to reddish-black to orange-black. Additionally, nymphs increasingly resemble adults with each molt. Adult chinchi bugs are approximately 1/6 inch long and have black and white coloring.

FAQ

What animal eats chinch bugs?

Big-eyed bugs, ants, and the fungal insect pathogen Beauveria bassiana are the most important natural enemies of chinch bugs. Maintaining moist conditions favors development of Beauveria.

What keeps chinch bugs away?

Chemical Control in a yard. There are an abundance of insecticides you can apply on your lawn for chinch bug treatment—granular or liquid. The chemicals you will need to look for are trichlorfon (this can be kind of harsh, so use it in extreme infestations), bifenthrin, and carbaryl.

Will grass grow back after chinch bugs?

These destructive lawn pests, which thrive in warm environments, can damage your lawn by drawing out plant juices from the grass blades and injecting a toxin using their piercing mouthparts. Fortunately, your grass can recover from chinch bug damage given the proper care.

What attracts chinch bugs?

Chinch bugs are particularly attracted to excess nitrogen which is an ingredient found in fertilizer. To reduce your odds of dealing with a chinch bug infestation, look for a fertilizer that is low in nitrogen.