Detect chinch bugs with the coffee can float test

Steps

1. Remove both ends of a metal coffee can to create an open cylinder.
2. Push the can 3 inches into the soil at the border of a damaged area (where brown meets green).
3. Fill the can three-quarters full with water.
4. Wait 10 minutes, gently stirring occasionally.
5. Watch for small black insects (1/8 to 1/4 inch) with white wings floating to the surface.

Why It Works

Chinch bugs live at the base of grass plants and are easily missed. The float test forces them to the surface where they become visible. They pierce grass blades and suck out plant juices while injecting a toxin that blocks the plant's vascular system. Damage mimics drought stress — irregular yellow-brown patches.

Tips

• Chinch bug damage peaks June through September but can start in late spring.
• They thrive in thick thatch and stressed, under-watered lawns.