Grass blades turn yellow and then become brown and die. Hairy chinch bug-infested lawns have an appearance of poor vigor. There are many dead grass blades interspersed among seemingly normal ones. They thrive in periods of hot, dry weather, and areas in full- sun appear to be hit the hardest. Entire lawns can be killed by a heavy infestation of these sucking insects.
Common hosts are bluegrass, fescues, bentgrass, and zoysiagrass.
This insect overwinters as an adult in protected places in and around turfgrass. In early spring, as the ground thaws and temperatures warm, adults come out of hibernation and begin to feed. Shortly afterward, mating takes place and females begin laying eggs for the first generation. It is bright red and has a white band across the back. As the nymph grows and feeds, it sheds its skin four times.