Check with your county Cooperative Extension office to see how these varieties perform in your area. Chinch bugs are attacked by several predatory insects. Repeated use of chemicals on a lawn may also reduce the beneficial insects. Apply insecticides only when necessary. Cool, cloudy weather promotes fungal pathogens which attack chinch bugs and keep populations low.
Proper irrigation can help reduce the likelihood of chinch bug damage.
The first step is to be certain that the lawn problem is due to chinch bugs. Check the lawn weekly during the growing season, especially in direct sun and along walks and driveways. Look for off-color areas. Where chinch bugs are suspected, part the grass at the edge of the affected areas and examine the soil and base of the turf. Check in several places.