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Brown patches in the St. Augustine? Check for chinch bugs.
Southern chinch bugs are the most damaging insect pest of St. Augustine grass in Florida. They suck the juice out of the blades, and a few hot weeks is all they need to turn a green lawn yellow, then brown.
$50–$85a month for our lawn insecticide treatment, based on lawn size.
Signs of chinch bugs
Sunny, hot spots first
Damage usually starts in full sun, along driveways, sidewalks and curbs where grass gets hottest and driest.
Yellow, then brown
Patches turn yellow, then reddish-brown and dry, and they spread outward if nothing is done.
Watering doesn’t fix it
The patch stays brown after you water. Dry spots from a sprinkler problem usually green back up.
Tiny bugs at the edge
Part the grass where brown meets green. Adults are tiny and black with white wings; young ones are red-orange with a white band.
Try the coffee-can test
An easy way to check your own lawn.
Cut both ends off a can
A big coffee can, or any metal can with the top and bottom removed.
Push it into the grass
Twist it a couple of inches into the soil where the brown patch meets green grass.
Fill it with water and wait
Keep it topped up for 5 to 10 minutes. Chinch bugs float to the top.
Chinch bugs or something else?
Brown grass has a few usual causes in Florida. Here’s how they differ.
| Cause | What you’ll notice |
|---|---|
| Chinch bugs | Spreading yellow-brown patches in sunny, hot spots, mostly in warm months. The grass stays rooted. |
| Billbugs | Thin, dying patches in Zoysia and St. Augustine. Stems break off easily, with sawdust-like bits at the base. |
| Large patch fungus | Rings of yellow-orange grass in cooler, wet months. Blades pull off easily and look rotted at the base. |
| Dry spots | Brown areas the sprinklers miss. They green up once they’re watered. |
What our monthly lawn treatment covers
Lawn insecticide
Sprayed every month for chinch bugs and billbugs.
Weeds, spot-treated
Only the problem areas, not your whole yard.
Fungus and disease
Protection and treatment against common lawn fungus and disease.
Whiteflies, fleas and ticks
Whitefly treatment for viburnums and bushes, plus fleas and ticks in the yard.
Chinch bug questions
Ask Pete anything else, day or night, in English or Spanish.
When are chinch bugs worst in Florida?
From spring through fall, and especially in hot, dry stretches of late spring and summer. In Central and South Florida they can be active most of the year.
Will grass damaged by chinch bugs grow back?
Grass that’s only yellowing can recover once the bugs are treated. Areas that are completely dead may need new sod or time to fill back in.
Do chinch bugs attack Zoysia?
Chinch bugs are mostly a St. Augustine problem. In Zoysia, billbugs are the more common insect pest, and our monthly treatment covers both.
How much is chinch bug treatment?
Our monthly lawn insecticide treatment is $50 to $85 a month based on lawn size, with no contract. We measure on the first visit.
More guides
Lawn care
Monthly lawn insecticide for St. Augustine and Zoysia, $50–$85 a month.
Florida ants
Ghost ants, white-footed ants, fire ants and more, side by side.
Service area
Every town and ZIP code we cover, from Anna Maria Island to Myakka City.
Ready when you are.
Pick an open weekday and arrival window online, or text us at 941-896-2852 for the fastest reply, Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm.
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Brown patches in the St. Augustine?Often chinch bugs. Our monthly lawn insecticide treats them.
Monthly lawn care $50–85/mo