The chinch bug calling card is here.

Birds Foot Trefoil has been noticeable for the past few weeks. It hangs off curbs and invades boulevards. It is also the business card for the emergence of the Chinch Bug from your garden areas and on to your lawn.

This destructive insect can quickly destroy your grass with its voracious appetite, so be aware.

Most of the damage in the early days of July is done by the nymphs (these happy little fellows) and can be found around gardens, sunny areas and sources of greater heat (on edges near pavement etc.)

 This grass mosquito will suck the life out of a blade of grass. leaving it with a dry, unhealthy appearance. If you get them in the thousands...well, you can imagine the devastation to your curb appeal.

Now, since the good people of  the Federal Government took away all means to kill the little bastards, we have to resort to other methods of control.

First determine if Chinch Bugs are the cause  by checking around damaged areas. Agitate the grass vigorously with your fingers, peel back the blades. You should be able to see them scurrying for cover into the thatch layer of your lawn.

Another method is to insert an hollow coffee can into the ground, fill it with water, and wait for them to float to the surface.

What can be done?

Hopefully, you have been keeping your grass at 3 inches and above (or ankle high). This will slow the feeding. Think of it as an all you can eat buffet with too much food.

Also, this insect loves over-fertilized lawns, so we caution people  to keep the nitrogen enriched products to a minimum.

Chinch Bugs hate water. A deeply watered lawn is no friend to them. Soapy water is kryptonite as it dehydrates them. A daily dose of soapy water (dish soap works best) to the affected area and perimeter will help your cause greatly.

I have seen some who try to Shop-Vac them out of a lawn, but a better method is to wet the affected area in the evening, then lay a plastic tarp down. In the morning they should be clinging to the tarp, and you can simply remove them from the grass.

Even if you let nature run its course and do nothing, there is still hope. Chinch Bugs are top feeders. Your root system is still intact and will recover in the fall with some TLC...unless you are also blessed with a grub infestation.

Either way, Chinch Bugs are here, right on schedule, and it would be wise to schedule a plan of attack for them.