Turfgrass

Chinch & Bill Bugs

The southern chinch bug, Blissus insularis Barber, is currently the most difficult-to-control and damaging insect pest of St. Augustinegrass in Florida. Nymphs and adults feed on plant fluids within leaf sheaths, down in the thatch, and this feeding kills the grass plants and contributes to weed invasion.

Presenter

Eileen Buss is an Associate Professor in the University of Florida Entomology and Nematology Department. Dr. Buss’s research area encompasses insect pest management and insect behavioral ecology on turfgrass, woody ornamentals, and shade trees in the urban landscape. Research interests include studying the biology of important pests (e.g., mole crickets, chinch bugs, white grubs, tree borers, and scale insects) and determining the most environmentally responsible means for their management.