No one wants to discover lawn insects destroying their turf, and chinch bugs and billbugs are common here in Colorado. However, it's crucial to know the differences between these pests and what to look for so you can take immediate action. Chinch bugs suck out the sap from grass blades and inject a toxin that blocks water from reaching it, causing brown patches across your lawn. On the other hand, billbugs feed on the grass stems, though eventually making a meal out of its roots, leaving small, irregularly shaped brown patches. If you think either of these insects is damaging your lawn, you'll want to contact pros immediately. Experts can correctly identify the infestation and administer highly effective curative treatments to eliminate it.

What are chinch bugs, and what damage do they cause to your lawn?

Chinch bugs are extremely small lawn insects that feed on the sap in grass blades. As they suck out the juices, they inject a toxin that blocks water from reaching the grass, causing it to wither and die. Before long, a chinch bug infestation results in irregular brown patches across your lawn, resembling the symptoms of drought stress. These pests become most active during warm, dry conditions, so damage usually occurs in the late summer.

What are billbugs, and what damage do they cause to your lawn?

Billbugs are weevils that, when adults, have distinguishing long, curved snouts. However, while adults eat grass blades and stems, the most prominent damage comes from the larvae. These tiny, cream-colored larvae start inside the stems, feeding there until eventually making a meal out of your lawn's roots. As a result, they cause small, irregularly shaped yellow or brown patches of grass, leaving extensive damage in the wake of their feast. This damage becomes most apparent by late summer.

Contact Pros Immediately if You Think Chinch Bugs or Billbugs Are Destroying Your Lawn

If you think chinch bugs or billbugs are destroying your lawn in Colorado, you'll want to contact pros immediately. With their training and knowledge, lawn care experts will thoroughly inspect the affected areas and correctly identify which insect has infested your turf. Then, once they do, they'll administer curative treatments proven effective against pests like chinch bugs and billbugs, eliminating them.

However, the work doesn't end there. On the contrary, you'll also want to schedule lawn care services to help your grass recover after an insect infestation, including fertilization, aeration, and overseeding. Fertilizers will supply it with the nutrients it needs to rebuild its strength, encourage root development, and return to its vibrant color. Meanwhile, aeration will create passageways for sunlight, water, air, and nutrients to easily reach the roots of your grass, giving it optimal access to resources that'll help it recover quicker. Finally, overseeding will fill any bare and patchy areas resulting from a chinch bug or billbug infestation with new growth, increasing its overall density.

Practicing routine lawn care will ensure your turf stays at its strongest and healthiest to naturally fight off stressors, like chinch bugs and billbugs, in the future.

Call Us Today to Schedule Our Lawn Insect Control Service

Do you think that chinch bugs or billbugs have infested your lawn? If so, look no further than our lawn insect control service! At Mesa Turf Masters, we proudly serve property owners in Grand Junction, Fruita, Palisade, CO, and other nearby areas. Our team will determine the pest damaging your turf before applying our highly effective curative treatments to eradicate them. These treatments are available as an add-on to any of our lawn care programs, and we also offer services like fertilization, aeration, and overseeding to help it recover! Call us today at (970) 434-5440 to schedule our lawn insect control service.