By Matt Giese, M.S., technical services manager for Syngenta

Warm days and cool nights are a good indicator spring is near, which means lawn insects like chinch bugs are becoming more active. While damage to turfgrass isn’t always noticed until hot, dry spells occur during the summer, adults become active in warm and cool season turfgrasses, during warm, spring days. Adults and nymphs can cause damage that looks like drought or moisture stress in lawns in early-to-late summer.

After the eggs hatch, nymphal instars and young adults can be found on sidewalks, driveways or foundation walls. Once they begin to feed on turf, they become very difficult to find, hiding deep in the turfgrass canopy and thatch when disturbed. Fortunately, flotation sampling (a method involving inserting a turfgrass plug into a bucket of water to count the chinch bugs that float to the surface after about 10 minutes) can help identify chinch bug incidence and life stage, and, if performed regularly, provide clues to the level of infestation for current and subsequent seasons.

Meridian^® 25WG insecticide provides foliar and systemic control of multiple chinch bug species. When applying preventively before feeding damage occurs, its active ingredient thiamethoxam translocates inside the plant and works via ingestion and contact activity against piercing, sucking insects like chinch bugs. For extended, season-long control, Meridian 25WG can be an effective rotation product in a comprehensive chinch bug management program. Alternatively, Meridian 0.33G insecticide is also available as a spreadable granule, and is packaged in a 40 lb. bag.

Acelepryn^® Xtra insecticide, the latest insecticide from Syngenta, combines the power of two modes of action found in Acelepryn and Meridian to deliver long-lasting, broad-spectrum insect control, including enhanced chinch bug control with at least three months of guaranteed control of southern chinch bugs. To learn more about guaranteed control of southern chinch bugs (at least 90 days) and tropical sod webworm (at least 90 days), check out the GreenTrust^® 365 St. Augustinegrass Guarantee.  

Source: Steve McDonald, Pennsylvania, 2020. Applications were made on July 10, 2020 and evaluated on July 30, 2020. 

Southern chinch bug control in Raleigh St. Augustinegrass

Source: Rick Brandenburg, Holly Springs, North Carolina, 2019. Treatments applied once on July 26, 2019 and sprayed in 56 gallons of water per acre. 


​​​​​​​Additional options for managing chinch bugs

Additional offerings for managing chinch bugs include Scimitar GC insecticide, Caravan G insecticide/fungicide or Acelepryn insecticide:

• The proprietary formulation technology of Scimitar GC encapsulates the active ingredient, lambda-cyhalothrin, in small polymer capsules to protect it from the degrading effects of pH, sunlight and UV light. The result is effective control of insects in turf, even after extended outdoor exposure.
  
  
• When you need to combat insect and disease pressure simultaneously, Caravan G offers an insecticide and fungicide in one convenient product. It contains the same active ingredient found in Meridian, and is complemented by the active ingredient in Heritage^® fungicide. While timing may vary by location, an application of Caravan G can offer chinch bug control and three weeks of preventive brown patch control.
  
  
• Acelepryn insecticide effectively suppresses chinch bug populations and fits well within a lawn care program. It is also an industry standard for grub and caterpillar control, with proven performance in a variety of geographical locations. In IRAC group 28 (anthranilic diamides), the unique class of chemistry makes Acelepryn a great resistance management tool for pyrethroid- and/or neonicotinoid-insensitive chinch bug species. For added convenience, Acelepryn is available in a 4-fl. oz. container as a suspension concentrate, a half-gallon suspension concentrate, and as a granular formulation in a 25 lb. bag.

No matter which geography is most relevant for your business, Syngenta has a solution for your chinch bug control needs. For more information, contact your local Syngenta territory manager.