The southern chinch bug, Blissus insularis (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae), is a key pest of St. Augustinegrass. Chinch bug populations kill grass patches by sucking out sap and potentially secreting a toxin into plants. We are examining several ways to maximize chinch bug control, including the efficacy of homeowner and professional products against chinch bugs, the effect of different irrigation levels on chinch bug populations and grass quality, and determining the minimal number of preventative applications necessary to maintain healthy grass without chinch bug damage and negative non-target impacts.
Species 1: Heteroptera Lygaeidae Blissus insularis (southern chinch bug)
Keywords: St. Augustinegrass
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