So, you think you have

Chinch Bugs?

• Chinch bugs are a big problem in several communities in Calgary and they can kill your lawn quickly when the infestation gets bad enough.
• Even when a chinch bug issue is just starting, it can make your lawn look terrible and you don’t want to be that neighbour with the bad lawn.
• Chinch bugs are almost impossible to control on your own.

Here is the solution

2-visit treatment program

• This program will start working immediately to eradicate the active adult and juvenile chinch bugs in your lawn.
• We will schedule the applications according to the time of year and severity of the infestation.
• Was $369 Now $319 $50 off. For lawns up to 2500 sqft

Tell me

more about Chinch Bugs

What are chinch bugs?
A chinch bug is a turf grass pest that feeds on the sap of the grass plant and damages it by injecting a poison. They live in the lawn and can destroy an entire yard in as little as 3 years if the problem is not fixed.

How do you pronounce “chinch”?
“Chinch” is pronounced “Chin – ch” but it is also acceptable to pronounce it “Sinch”

How do I know if I have chinch bugs?
Usually, you will know that you have a chinch bug problem when the sunniest parts of your lawn are starting to brown, and the brown areas get worse even when watering your lawn adequately. If the infestation is bad enough, you may see them crawling on cement sidewalks and patios in the heat of the day. You can inspect your lawn by pulling the turf apart near the brown areas and looking deep into the thatch layer. If you see bugs that look like the ones in the pictures, then you have chinch bugs.

Why am I getting chinch bugs?
Chinch bugs are getting to be a quite a huge issue in certain Calgary communities. They love sunny, dry areas of the lawn and can cause significant damage to your grass. If you have areas that receive a lot of sun, your property may be more susceptible to a chinch bug infestation. Chinch bugs also tend to favor lawns with a thick layer of thatch, so managing your thatch layer by proper lawn care techniques can help.

Which communities in Calgary do you see the most chinch bugs?
In 2023 we saw the most chinch bug activity in Southeast Calgary. The communities that were the most affected were: Mackenzie Lake, Mackenzie Towne, Auburn Lake, Cranston, New Brighton, Mahogany, Copperfield & Douglasdale. Some other nearby communities had chinch bugs, but not as prevalent of the ones mentioned above.

In North Calgary, we saw an increase in chinch bug activity over  the previous years. The Northwest communities that were most affected were: Hamptons, Edgemont, Panorama Hills, Citadel and Huntington Hills.

Will chinch bugs go away on their own?
Typically, once you have chinch bugs, they will stay until treated. If left unchecked, the problem will get worse over the course of the summer. Adults will hibernate over the winter and the problem will get progressively worse the following year as adults come out of their over-winter spots and new eggs hatch. Harsh winters can influence chinch bug population as some adults will not survive. Mild winters can have the opposite effect and cause spikes in chinch bug populations.

Can I treat chinch bugs by myself?
By golly some people have tried, usually with limited results. We have heard of spraying dish soap, which seemed to kill the chinch bugs it touched, but could never get the ones deep in the thatch layer where they live. Also, putting that much dish soap into your lawn can’t be good for it either. Others have tried using products from box stores like Home Depot or Lowe’s, some of which were not even labelled for use in lawns, which is never recommended.

Do you have any PREVENTION TIPS for me?
Good lawn care practices are a good defence for chinch bugs. This means mowing your lawn at the proper height of 3 inches and ensuring your lawn is receiving no less than 1 inch of water per week. It is also important to have a good fertilizing program in place to make sure your lawn is getting all the nutrition it needs to stay healthy.

Will the chinch bugs come back after treatment?
In a single season, there can be 2-3 generations. Because of this, eggs are being laid at different times of the year and the eggs are not affected by any treatment. If any eggs hatch the following spring, new chinch bugs will emerge and they will then start to affect your lawn again, and the cycle continues. It is very important to note, that after you get your lawn treated, the following year you should exam your lawn carefully by checking any areas that are browning.

We also live in close proximity to one another, so even though chinch bugs move very slowly it is very possible for chinch bugs move from yard to yard.