17th Year No. 80 PUBLISHED FIVE TIMES YEARLY FOR LAWNTHUSIASTS C H IN C H B U G S A S L A W N P E S T S SOME lawn pests are easily detected before they succeed in causing any damage. But Chinch Bugs are so small they can work away undetected until sufficient brown spots appear to make their presence suspected. This is the time to take action without delay. Chinch Bugs are no strangers to American farmers. There is one species attacking grains and other farm crops but injury to lawns in the North is the work of a particular variety called Hairy Chinch Bug(Blissus hirtus Mon- tandon). They are tiny insects measur­ ing less than J4 inch from tip to tip, even when full grown. The body is black, the wings white with black markings. folded wings the full length of the body, oth­ ers have short wings extending about half way back. They are clasped tightly against the body and not used for flight. Migration through the lawn is accomplished by crawling. The young bugs are extremely small, have no Some have long wings, and are coral or reddish-brown in color, darkening as they grow. Chinch Bug activity is greater some years than others because more of the adults live through an open, dry winter than during one of long periods of extreme cold with lots of rain and snow. The adults that survive the winter lay eggs on grass stems in the spring. These hatch in the warm weather of late May and the bugs make their growth in June. In July the spring generation continues the cycle of laying eggs, which hatch in early August. This second generation feeds on the grass in late summer and then hides in leaves and other debris over winter to start the cycle again the following spring. In order to get sustenance to grow to maturity, the bugs pierce grass stems and suck out the plant juices. If enough bugs attack a plant, the leaves turn brown and the roots may die. Gener­ ally, the plants can be saved if early first aid is applied. . t * * 2 When To Suspect Them Chinch Bugs seem to prefer operat­ ing in a relatively thick turf as there the grass is more succulent and the heavy growth gives them a good place to hide. They are not active in shaded areas, feeding only on grass in full sun when the temperature is 70 degrees F. or over and the grass blades dry. Chinch Bug damage at first appears as irregular spots of dead grass scat­ tered through the lawns. If their activi­ ties are not checked by a change in weather or a control treatment they continue to spread out into live grass until large areas are affected. f Other turf injury that may be con­ fused with that of Chinch Bugs in­ cludes underground attack of the grubs of Jap or June Beetles ( L aw n C are No. 44.) The difference is that grubs sever the roots so large pieces of sod can be lifted up whereas Chinch Bugs only suck the juices and the plants remain whole and firmly anchored to the soil even though the plant may be killed. Sod web-worms sometimes attack grasses in June but they actually cut off blades very close to the ground. In damp, muggy weather, brown dead-looking spots may appear in turf as the result of fungus activities causing various diseases. This is not the kind of weather when Chinch Bugs are nor­ mally destructive and so Chinch Bugs need not be suspected. Heat and drouth may of themselves cause grass to turn brown, but then the lawn is uniformly affected and not in scattered patches as is the case in Chinch Bug attacks. Finding Chinch Bugs Since they are so small and so adept at hiding under the crowns of the grass plants, Chinch Bugs are very hard to locate. If they are suspected the search should be made in the heat of the day in bright sunlight. They are more apt L SCOTTS LAWN CARE to appear in numbers in the live grass at the edge of browned areas. It is a good idea to get down on the hands and knees and part the grass for close inspection. Showing the long winged and short winged forms of Chinch Bugs. Under the glass they are magnified about 7 times while those at the bottom arc natural size. It is obvious why their presence in turf may not be suspected. Control Possibilities The war years have been productive of many benefits to the home owner through the application to his needs of materials developed to meet war demands. The latest discovery to be adapted to lawn use is D D T dust and another insecticide, Sabadilla, which has been in the news less, for the con­ trol of the Chinch Bug. The first extensive experiments with these materials on Chinch Bugs were conducted during 1945. Many indi­ viduals and several state experiment stations made excellent use of the small quantities allotted outside war require­ ments. These tests as well as our own in various parts of the country indicate an end to the seriousness of the Chinch Bug as a lawn problem now that DD T and Sabadilla are more readily available. NUMBER 80 While either material will give con­ trol, some investigators prefer the 10% Sabadilla dust. The suggested applica­ tion rate is 2% to 3 pounds per 1000 square feet of lawn area or 100 pounds to the acre. For the convenience of lawn owners, a combination insecticide including both DD T and Sabadilla is available as Scotts Pest Control. The spreading of the dust should be accomplished on a dry, sunny day. It may be applied by hand, with a ferti­ lizer or seed distributor or with a dust­ ing machine. If applied by hand or with a distributor, it is a good idea to brush the dust from the grass leaves with an ordinary push broom. D D T dust of 10% strength, used in the same way and the same rate, is effective. There is some evidence that D D T may have a residual effect of about two weeks. This is helpful in a complete clean-up of Chinch Bugs espe­ cially if eggs are still hatching. The month of June is usually the time of most Chinch Bug activity. By the middle of the month most of the spring generation will be hatched so that is the time to plan control meas­ ures. At times the second generation of Chinch Bugs will cause sufficient dam­ age so an August treatment will be called for. First Aid After Injury Since Chinch Bug damage may de­ velop fast, some program of rehabili­ tating the grass may be needed. The following suggestions may help to restore a vigorous growth so the effects of attack are lessened: 1. As often as there is evidence of brown grass, rake or brush out the dead, matted stems to enable the roots to send up new shoots to revive growth. 2. Make a very light feeding at not more than half the normal rate. Apply 3 when the grass is perfectly dry and water-in afterwards. 3. Sow seed lightly over the injured areas to start new plants. 4. Keep the lawn well watered— Chinch Bugs will then be less active and the grass roots will be more apt to send up new growth. 5. During this period it would be better to catch the clippings. As with other insect pests, the dam­ age from Chinch Bugs may pass un­ noticed until weed or clover patches suddenly appear in the lawn. These weeds are then blamed for the damage whereas they were an effect rather than a cause as they sprouted only after Chinch Bugs had killed the grass and removed the competition. In order for Chinch Bugs to multi­ ply in a lawn they must be able to over­ winter in leaves or tall grass in areas adjacent to the lawn. Where there has been an infestation it is advisable to rake up and burn the leaves and other refuse that accumulates in shrubbery beds or flower borders. Identification Service If you find some bugs and want to> be sure of identification, send us a plug of infested sod either to Marysville, Ohio, or Ridgefield, New Jersey. Cut out a section about 2 inches wide and 3 or 4 inches long that includes both injured and normal grass. Wrap the sample in waxed paper so it will stay moist enroute to us. interesting in the One thing most last LAWN CARE was the many methods of mole eradication. I watch the runs and when a mole is working I kill it in the run with a shot gun and leave it right there, do a little repairing, probably sow a little seed. That is a little destructive but in the proper frame of mind it is very gratifying. Greenwood, Indiana. HARRY P. GUILER 4 Watering Stand SIRS: There is a subject which I think has been grossly neglected and that is the art of sprinkling the lawn. What can be more harmul than a hoze nozzle turned down fine to simulate rain yet when applied at close range washes away soil from the roots? Another aversion of mine is a sprinkler which necessitates walking on the soaked lawn to move the sprinkler. My remedy is simple. I purchased what was called a flower sprinkler (rose spray) to be attached to a regular garden hose. I make a light weight folding horse about 3 feet 6 inches high and approximately 14 inches wide or long. The spray I lay on top of this contraption and thereby I can walk up behind it on dry grass and move it. It also is much easier to control the water­ ing area, keeping it off the sidewalk, driveway and foundation. EDWARD H. ROBERTS Moline, Illinois SCOTTS LAWN CARE Frequent cutting solves the clippings prob­ lem. I think you might well stress the point that lawn clippings are easily disposed of by cutting so frequendy that they will not dis­ figure the lawn. W. E. LOOMIS Associate Professor Iowa State College Ames, Iowa Late Spring Lawn Hints 1. Watch for a possible early drying out of the lawn soil. Don’t wait until the grass wilts to start watering. Do it as soon as the upper inch or so of soil shows signs of getting dry. See Scotts L aw n C are N o. 60. 2. Water your lawn when it is con­ venient. Pay no attention to the old bugaboo that it’s harmful to water when the sun is shining. Nothing to it. 3. The first sprigs of Crabgrass usu­ ally appear in late June. A little bend­ ing exercise to pluck out the plants in the two-leaf stage will be good for the abdomen and for the late summer lawn. Scotts L aw n C are N o. 70. 4. See that your mower is adjustable for the higher cutting advised in hot weather. L aw n C are N o. 54. Lawn Care Binder This durable, loose-leaf ring binder, containing all issues of L aw n C a r e and with capacity for five more years, will be sent for $1.00 p o s t a g e pai d. H u n d r e d s o f L aw n C are readers have presented them to friends as gifts and to public libraries and garden clubs. The same complete set of bulletins in stiff paper binding is 25c. O. M. SCOTT & SO N S CO. M A R Y S V I L L E - O H I O EVERY PACKAGE OF SCOTTS LAWN SEED BEARS THIS TRADE-MARK AND IS SEALED FOR YOUR PROTECTION i