Pest Status: Chinch bugs can cause economic damage to cereal crops and turfgrass.
Appearance: Chinch bugs are approximately 1/5-inch long. The head, pronotum and abdomen are gray-black in color and the wings are white with a black front-wing edge. The legs have a dark orange tint.
Life Cycle: Females lay their eggs on roots, stems, and leaves. After hatching, the nymphs feed by sucking juices from roots near or at the ground surface, but feed on upper plant parts as they mature. Chinch bugs seem to be most prevalent during drought conditions or in areas that are perpetually dry.
Where to Collect: Since chinch bugs are often turf pests, they can be found by parting the grass around expanding, irregular patches of dead or yellowing turf.
Purdue Extension Entomology, 901 West State Street, West Lafayette, IN 47907 USA, (765) 494-4554