A:

Answer:  Both True Chinch bugs and False Chinch bugs are in the order Hempitera. They are both considered “seed” bugs. False Chinch bugs are the more common nuisance pest in the USA of the two. The main culprit for explosions of False Chinch bugs is a wet spring and lots of weeds especially from the mustard family. As mustard plants dry out and die, the false chinch bug will migrate to seek shelter and structures are a perfect place to hide.

 The management strategy is the same for both insects in residential settings

• Irrigated landscapes adjacent to buildings may encourage false chinch bug migrations into structures. Reducing the watering during these population explosions can limit the migrations
• Exclusion is important and will help all summer along for many pests
• Since these pests are harboring around a perimeter, an application of a labeled chemical around the structure entrance points can be helpful.

False chinch bug migrations are a nuisance problem in buildings and usually are of short duration and rarely last more than a week.

Photo Taken By: Thomas Palmer