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How to Kill Chinch Bugs in Lawns
How to Kill Chinch Bugs in Lawns. Although your lawn can develop brown or yellow dead patches for a number of reasons, during the spring months, chinch bugs are often responsible. These small insects feed on your grass, resulting in the burned-out areas. Before you call an exterminator to kill the chinch bugs in your yard and spend a lot of money,...
Although your lawn can develop brown or yellow dead patches for a number of reasons, during the spring months, chinch bugs are often responsible. These small insects feed on your grass, resulting in the burned-out areas. Before you call an exterminator to kill the chinch bugs in your yard and spend a lot of money, try using a home remedy. Killing chinch bugs yourself is inexpensive and requires little effort.
Things You'll Need
Water
Liquid dish detergent
5-gallon bucket
White sheet
Sealable bag
Diatomaceous earth
Liquid hand soap
Eyedropper
Olive oil
Plastic spray bottle
Soap and Water
Add three parts tap water and one part liquid dish detergent to a 5-gallon bucket. Stir to combine.
Dump the water and dish detergent mixture to saturate your lawn where you have the chinch bug infestation.
Place a white sheet over top of the saturated area. Leave it undisturbed for one hour. Remove the sheet and discard it in a sealable plastic bag. The chinch bugs will climb onto the sheet to escape the water and soap. The white sheet allows you to see the bugs before you seal them up and throw them away.
Diatomaceous Earth
Apply a thin layer of diatomaceous earth around your yard, concentrating on areas that are discolored from the chinch bugs. The amount you need depends on the size of your yard.
Leave the powder undisturbed for several days to allow it to kill bugs.
Apply additional diatomaceous earth after a rain or watering your lawn if your infestation persists.
Homemade Spray
Mix a gallon of water and 2 tbsp. liquid hand soap.
Add 2 drops of olive oil to your soap mixture using an eyedropper. Stir to combine.
Pour your mixture into a spray bottle.
Squirt your mixture directly onto the lawn where you are experiencing a chinch bug problem to kill the bugs.
Tips & Warnings
Diatomaceous earth is a fine, ground-up powder made from the fossils of microscopic organisms. The powder is effective in killing many insects, including chinch bugs. It dries out the insect, leading to their death. You can find diatomaceous earth at your home improvement or garden supply store.
Any excess homemade spray that will not fit in the spray bottle can be stored in a sealed container for up to four months.
