Summer Insects Part One

landscapelifer – posted 18 June 2008 17:36

We made it through the drought but there are a lot of us fighting the Southern Chinch Bug. If you have this turf destroying pest YOU MUST FIRST CORRECT YOUR IRRIGATION COVERAGE or all control measures will be hit and miss. Chinch Bugs are attracted to dry St. Aug turf. Nutrients and sugars surface when under dry stress. During extended drought in higher temps your lawn becomes soley reliant upon irrigation to meet its’ needs. St Aug in full sun requires 3/4 to 1 inch of water per irrigation use to promote and maintain a deep (insulated) root system. And two times a week is fine, you just got to have that coverage. When you treat with insecticides, about the best you can use is a Permethrin over Bifenthrin as the most sucsessful control products now abolished for residential use. Chinch Bugs won’t wait for instecticide to kill them, they will “burrow” down to avoid unfavorable surface conditions. If you have poor irrigation coverage the insecticide won’t be pushed down into soil sufficiently for a complete kill. Better hope for rain or use a hose end sprinkler. The earlier in their life cycle they are controlled, the better. Chinch bugs can develop immunites, switching up products can help. But if you just have good irrigation coverage of the proper amount of water you’ll likely not have to deal with chinch bugs at all. I’ve never seen them attack healthy green turf unless previously invited by nearby drought conditions. But…with a well watered lawn there are those pesky Tropical Sod Web Worms to contend with during the summer. See Summer Insects Part Two, “Coming To A Post Near You” I love Florida Lawn and Turf Care!!!!!!