Chinch Bug

What it looks like

Adults are small (under a quarter inch), black with white wings marked by a triangular black spot. Young nymphs are orange with a white band. Damage shows up as wilting and yellow-to-brown patches in thick, sunny turf. Unlike drought stress, watering the damaged area won't help it recover.

Often mistaken for: Drought stress

When it shows up in the Triangle

Active pretty much year-round here with only occasional winter slowdowns, but numbers really build up and peak around early July, with many overlapping generations through the warm months.

Where you’ll see it

Home lawns, especially St. Augustine and centipede grass.

What you can do

• Keep thatch buildup in check so bugs have less shelter
• If replacing or choosing St. Augustine, favor sturdier types over the more susceptible 'Raleigh' variety where winter hardiness allows
• Check suspect areas by parting the grass at the edge of damaged patches and looking for the actual insects
• Confirm it's chinch bugs and not just dry soil before doing anything drastic — water the spot first and see if it bounces back