Today's Quick Tip on Gainesville lawns is about Chinch bug damage, and how to decipher it from drought stress, webworm damage, fungus, or other common yard issues. There are three main things to look for:
- Where is the damage? Typically, chinch bugs attack Gainesville yards close to concrete, asphalt, and in areas that are in full sun.
- What do the damaged areas look like? When chinch bugs attack lawns in Gainesville, they leave a clear trail. The dead grass looks dark brown (compared to a the typical greyish color of dead grass) and is typically very patchy. Also, weeds typically thrive because chinch bugs do not damage weeds - just the grass.
- Is there a yellow ring? To be clear, there can also be a yellow ring around fungus, too. However, chinch bugs and fungus attack very different St. Augustine grass. Chinch bugs attck drought-stressed grass, so the yellowed turf would be in typically dry soil (which is why they love the full sun areasof your lawn). Fungus typically leaves yellowing grass in very wet areas of the lawn, from too much water (irrigation or rain) sitting on the lawn.
If you would like help protecting the health of your lawn, please call our office at (352) 378-LAWN. We would love to help.