Lawn · SWFL Pest Identifier
Southern Chinch Bug
How to identify it
- Yellowing patches that start in the sunniest, driest spots and spread
- Damage looks exactly like drought but doesn’t green up after watering
- Part the grass at the patch edge: tiny black bugs with white wing marks
Tiny (pinhead)
Lawn / garden
Lawn damage · Crawler
The #1 killer of St. Augustine lawns in Florida. The tell: drought stress recovers with water, chinch damage doesn’t.
They kill outward from the first patch — early treatment saves the lawn, late means resodding.
From identification to the next step
Compare the evidence, possible lookalikes, and questions to bring to an inspection.
Download an observation worksheetNot sure this is your bug?
Text a photo and a licensed local tech will identify it for free — or run it through the interactive identifier.
Similar lawn in SWFL
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Tropical Sod Webworm
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Fall Armyworm
Worth a pro lookLawn browns in patches seemingly overnight
White Grub
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Dealing With This One?
Get a real price online in about 60 seconds — or text us a photo first and we'll tell you honestly whether it even needs treatment.