Related Categories

Safety Products

Please be sure to read the product label of any insecticide you choose to use to get information on the personal protective safety gear you will need. In most situations, it is recommended that you wear long pants, a long sleeved shirt, closed toe shoes with socks, chemical resistant gloves, and goggles. In areas where ventilation is poor, a manufacturer may recommend you wear a mask or a respirator. We have put together two different safety kits that will make selecting the correct safety gear easier for you.

Chinch Bug Identification Guide

What Do Chinch Bugs Look Like?

By DoMyOwn staff
Overview
Image of a chinch bug on a leaf

Chinch bugs are small pests that can cause a large amount of damage to your lawn. Chinch bugs suck the moisture out of grass blades, then replace that moisture with a poison that kills the grass. Lawns that have been effected by chinch bugs appear to have drought-like symptoms, including yellow, brown, or dead grass.

The first step in removing chinch bugs from your lawn is to be sure you have chinch bugs and aren't dealing with another pest or lawn disease. Read our guide below to identify chinch bugs.

Size
Graphic illustrating the size of a chinch bug

Chinch bugs are small, growing to only 1/5 of an inch long as adults.

Shape
Graphic showing the anatomy on a chinch bug

Chinch bugs have oval shaped bodies. Adult chinch bugs have two wings that overlap over their bodies.

Chinch bugs of all ages have piercing mouthparts that puncture grass blades.

Color
Graphic showing the life cycle of a chinch bug

Adult chinch bugs have black bodies and white wings that overlap over their bodies. Each wing has a black triangle shape near the body. Their legs are light brown.

Immature chinch bugs are bright orange in color. Their bodies darken as they age until they become black as adults.

Range
Graphic showing a range map for the chinch bug in the United States

Chinch bugs can be found across the southern United States.

If you suspect you have chinch bugs, read the next part of our 4-part chinch bug guide to learn how to do a chinch bug test on your lawn. Click the right arrow below to read more.

262 of 273 people found this article informative and helpful.

Was this article informative and helpful to you?   Yes |  No