Chinch bugs are some of the most irritating pests to find on your lawn. If you can spot them in your yard, that means that your yard is most likely already infested with them. These small, hairy insects are prevalent in Wisconsin throughout the summer and early fall. They drain resources from your grass, which can leave your lawn with brown or yellow patches. Curative insecticides can eradicate these pests from your lawn, but incorporating regular lawn care services like fertilization, aeration, and overseeding will be required to fix any subsequent damage.

How do chinch bugs cause damage and what does it look like?

Dying, brown lawn grass after chinch bug infestation near Bellevue, WI.

Chinch bugs use their mouthparts to pierce the blades of grass in your yard. Once they have pierced these blades, they suck out the juices within those blades, which will dry the blades out. In addition to drying out the grass blades, they also release a toxin that can kill your grass.

There are a number of signs that you can look for which may mean that your yard has become infested with chinch bugs. These signs of damage include brown spotted grass blades or brown or yellow patches of grass on your lawn. If these bugs are not taken care of, they can cause significant damage to your lawn and may ultimately end up completely killing your turf.

You may see chinch bug damage in the summer and fall.

In Wisconsin, chinch bugs can be widespread throughout the summer and early fall. They are prevalent during these times each year because they enjoy warm or dry grasses. Another reason for concern is that if your lawn is comprised of either bentgrass or fescue, you may see more than your fair share of chinch bugs because they are drawn to these types of grasses more than other grass types. These pests can quickly get out of control without treatment.

Mowing your grass using the 1/3 rule and watering it regularly can help keep your lawn healthy enough to avoid a chinch bug infestation.

How do you deal with chinch bugs and fix lawn damage?

Core aeration equipment servicing a lawn in Bellevue, WI.

The main way to deal with a chinch bug infestation is with a curative insecticide treatment. A professional team like ours uses chinch bug treatments that are formulated with high-quality insecticidal compounds to effectively eradicate them. In order to fix their damage, you will need to incorporate regular lawn care. These specific services will help your lawn recover from damage caused by chinch bugs:

  • Aeration: This service will help your lawn recover from chinch bug damage by loosening the soil on your lawn to make it easier for the roots of your grass to absorb water, sunlight, and essential nutrients.
  • Fertilization: Fertilization will add vital nutrients back into your lawn after chinch bug damage. Essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are exactly what your lawn will need to begin growing healthy grass once again.
  • Overseeding: Overseeding is a great way to help your lawn recover from damage caused by chinch bugs. By overseeding your lawn, you can create dense, lush grass that will fill in any bare or patchy areas that were caused by chinch bug damage

If you have a chinch bug problem, call us today to schedule our chinch bug control service.

We understand how frustrating it can be to have lawn pests eating up your grass. That's why at Turf Badger, we offer a chinch bug control service! You can also schedule our fertilization, aeration, and overseeding services to promote healthier grass growth after your lawn has been cured. Our company serves the Appleton, WI area and surrounding areas like Green Bay and Bellevue. Call us today at 920-634-6780 to schedule.