Lawn, Tree & Shrub PestsHigh concern
Chinch Bug
Tiny turf pests that kill St. Augustine lawns in expanding yellow-brown patches.
Photo: no rights reserved (CC0) · public domain/CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
How to identify it
Very small (3–4 mm); adults are black with white wings folded over the back, nymphs are reddish-orange with a white band. Usually found at the edge of dying grass.
Where it hides
Sunny, water-stressed areas of St. Augustine and Zoysia lawns, especially along driveways, sidewalks and south-facing edges.
Signs you have them
- Irregular yellow-to-brown patches that expand in sunny, dry areas
- Damage that looks like drought but doesn't recover with water
- Tiny black-and-white bugs in the thatch when you part the grass
Why it matters
Chinch bugs are the #1 insect killer of St. Augustine grass in Florida, capable of destroying large sections of lawn in weeks during the hot season.
How Rhino treats it
Rhino's lawn & ornamental program treats chinch bugs alongside webworms, grubs, fungus and weeds, with the fertilization the turf needs to recover and stay green.
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