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April 23, 2018

How to Identify Southern Zone Insects

How To Identify Southern Zone Insects

Even in parts of the south, winter won’t let go of its grip.  Several insects are showing activity.  Imported Fire Ants, chinch bugs and turfgrass mites.  We will cover chinch bugs here.

 

chinch-bugs

From Nymph to Adult

Chinch bugs have a simple life cycle, meaning they develop from eggs to nymphs and then to the adult.  The nymph and the adult appear very similar, but the adult may have wings and be different in color. The nymph is bright orange in color and much smaller in size then the adults. 

How Chinch Bugs Feed on Turf

Chinch bugs have multiple instars, but feed at all stages with the nymph feeding most actively.  Chinch bugs have piercing-sucking mouth parts.  The insect inserts its stylet into the leaf cells and injects a toxin to break down the cell walls, and then the insect sucks up the cell contents.

chinch-bug-damage-on-golf-course

The toxin in the cells turns the turf an orange color where the insects are most actively feeding.  This change of color can be used as a diagnostic tool for detecting piercing-sucking insect activity.  Chinch bugs have multiple generations per year, and all instar stages can be found at any one time. 

Where Chinch Bugs Hide

These insects can be found in the turf by opening up the turf and looking into the thatch.  Initially, the insects will freeze and not be active.  In time, they will start to move and become more noticeable.  Damage from piercing-sucking insects is harder to recover from due to the foreign toxin being injected into the plants.

Gaining Control of Your Turf

Control can be obtained by using general insecticides such as Bifenthrin 7.9 on residential lawns and Chlorpyrifos 4E on golf courses.

Bifenthrin 7.9F

Insecticide

Quali-Pro's Bifenthrin 7.9

Bifenthrin 7.9F provides long-lasting control of over 75 pests and is approved for multiple use-sites so you can use it almost anywhere.

Chlorpyrifos 4E

Insecticide

Quali-Pro's Chlorpyrifos 4E

Proven control of hundreds of insect pests that delivers long-lasting control. Chlorpyrifos 4E stops pest feeding by inhibiting nervous system activity.

Quali-Pro Team

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