Chinch Bugs in the Maritimes

WHAT IS A CHINCH BUG?

Chinch bugs are small insects that have reddish brown bodies in their young stages and mature into black and white coloured adults. In late spring, chinch bugs mate and lay their eggs in a hot dry location (often on south-facing hillsides or bare areas that receive a lot of sunlight). The eggs hatch in early to mid-summer and the young chinch bugs (known as nymphs) begin feeding and start to damage lawns.  Damage from chinch bugs looks very similar to drought conditions.  The grass turns yellow/brown. If the homeowner ignores the problem or confuses it with drought, the patches get bigger as the insect matures and seeks food further afield. Chinch bugs can ruin a lawn in as little as 3 weeks if no control methods are taken.  

HOW DOES WEED MAN TACKLE CHINCH BUG?

Our technicians are licensed and fully trained professionals. When our technicians do the application, they focus on the high-risk areas where chinch bugs thrive – south facing slopes, high heat areas, areas of past chinch damage, and areas where chinch bugs are currently present and feeding.  At Weed Man we stand behind the work we do.  That is why we will provide a no charge re-application if our technician did not do the chinch bug application properly.  It is important to note, however, that it can sometimes take more than one application to fully control chinch bugs if the infestation is severe.  If your infestation is severe, our expert staff will advise whether a second chinch bug application is necessary and the cost for doing so, or if other alternatives should be considered, such as overseeding to repair damaged areas. 

MY LAWN ALREADY HAS CHINCH BUG DAMAGE. WHAT CAN I DO?

Bare chinch damaged areas need attention; they will not recover on their own. If left, they will look unsightly and will be attractive to pests that like hot, dry bare areas, namely weeds!  Weed Man recommends overseeding these bare areas. There is no way to fully guarantee that chinch bugs will not come back but making conditions less attractive for them to feed will help combat them in the long run.

WHAT PRODUCT DOES WEED MAN USE TO TREAT CHINCH BUG?

The products Weed Man uses for control of chinch bugs vary by province and are selected based on what is permitted under provincial and other local rules.  Weed Man’s technicians are licensed and trained in the products and rules applicable to their area.  All products described below are safe for humans, pets and the environment when used in accordance with the label. They are all approved for use on chinch bugs by the Pest Management Regulatory Authority branch of Health Canada, and under applicable provincial and municipal pesticide rules.

NOVA SCOTIA

In Nova Scotia, Weed Man uses Safer’s Trounce™ Insecticide for control of chinch bugs. Trounce is a non-toxic insecticide that offers effective control of a broad range of insects including chinch bugs. This product provides rapid knock down and control of pests, is non-residual and biodegrades quickly. The active ingredients in Trounce are a blend of 20% potassium salts of fatty acids (sometimes called “soaps”) and 0.2% pyrethrums, which are both naturally occurring substances.

NEW BRUNSWICK

Weed Man has two products it uses for control of chinch bugs in New Brunswick. Deltagard SC™ and Tetrino™ are insecticides that are used to treat a broad range of insects including chinch bugs. These products are blended to eliminate the bugs present at the time of treatment and provide long lasting protection for your lawn. New Brunswick’s rules limit the amount of pesticide that can be applied to a property and limit most treatments to targeted spot spraying. In severe cases of insect infestation, a special permit can be obtained from the New Brunswick Department of Environment to permit blanket spraying if needed to control the infestation.

PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND

Weed Man uses Deltagard SC™ for control of chinch bugs in PEI.  This is an insecticide that is used to treat a broad range of insects including chinch bugs. This product eliminates the bugs present at the time of treatment and provide long lasting protection for your lawn.   Under provincial and municipal rules in PEI, a permit must be first obtained from the municipality and, once a permit is obtained, pre-notification of your neighbors must happen 24-72 hours prior to completing the chinch bug application.