Archive for August, 2008:
Controlling Chinch Bugs In Florida St Augustine Lawns
If you have a St Augustine lawn you know about chinch bugs? It doesn’t matter what neighborhood you live. If you live in Florida, have a St Augustine lawn you are going to battle chinch bugs, each and every summer.
It behooves every homeowner with St Augustine lawns to get a head start on chinch bugs. You will not eliminate chinch bugs without a prevention program
How Do You Know If Chinch Bugs Are In Your Lawn?
Look for small brown patches in an otherwise green healthy looking lawn. Chinch bugs literally suck the juice out of the grass and the healthier lawns are their favorites. This brown patch will expand rapidly as chinch bugs have voracious appetites. They are generally small pests but as your brown patches grow so do chinch bugs and you find them more easily, but at that point you are infested. If you must see them with your own eyes there is way. Cut off the ends of a small coffee can, plant it in the ground and fill with soapy water. You will seem them floating on top of the soapy water
Controlling Chinch Bugs
First off, don’t over fertilize. High nitrogen content in your lawn will attract chinch bugs in mass. Thick green, lush St Augustine grass is dinnertime for chinch bugs. For the do it yourself homeowner applying Durban at the end of a lawn sprayer helps control them. This process will need to be done through the summer months or when the weather is warm, which in Florida is about 8 months. Contacting professional pest control companies is an option as well. Chinch bugs have become resistant to practically every type of St Augustine grass. Floratam St Augustine was produced as an answer to the chinch bug issue and in a few short years chinch bugs became resistant to it as well.
Conclusions
Chinch bugs have long been the nemesis of a nice healthy St. Augustine lawn. With a few preventative procedures you can control chinch bugs. Regular walks around your lawn will help you spot problem areas before they become more widespread.
Subscribe to the comments for this postTampa Pest Contol Companies
Having lived in the Tampa area for 50 years , I have seen the city grow and change. I have also dealt with many Tampa Pest control companies over the years. As I have mentioned choosing a professional exterminator is not easy. Due diligence is a key factor in choosing a Tampa Pest Control Company. Most companies want to sign you on long term. It is common among pest control companies. I prefer checking them out in action first and if you can get a list of legitimate customers to ask question all the better. As with any contract, check the fine print and determine how you will break this agreement should the situation arise. Ask things like what happens if you see bugs a week after your pest control professional has left. Many have re-spray guarantees.
My first experience was with Cross Pest Control. They have served Tampa since 1968. You see I do go way back. Another company that I have heard great reviews on is Suncoast Pest Control . Suncoast serves the entire bay area. For lawn pest control Tru Green and Orkin are the choices pest control service in Tampa .
