Southern Florida has as many as seven generations per year. Insecticide applications should be made when injury symptoms are first noticed. Organophosphate and carbamate insecticides labeled for use on chinch bugs will control both adults and nymphs. Most materials will control newly hatched nymphs for about a two week period after application. Evidence suggests that heavy applications of soluble nitrogen fertilizers increased the occurrence of chinch bug damage.
Populations apparently develop more rapidly and cause more injury on heavily fertilized grass.
Moisture also has a significant effect on chinch bug populations. Heavy irrigation or rainfall suppresses chinch bug numbers to the degree that they do not cause serious damage. Perhaps most promising is the development of resistant grass varieties. Floratam and Floralawn St. Augustine grass varieties are resistant to the lawn chinch bug and can be sprigged into other St. Augustine grass lawns.