Interrelationship of Big-Eyed Bugs (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) and Southern Chinch Bugs (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) in Florida Lawns²

The southern chinch bug, Blissus insularis Barber, is the most important insect pest of St. Augustinegrass, Stenotaphrum secundatum (Walt.) Kuntze. Fifteen chinch bug infestations in St. Augustinegrass lawns in Florida were sampled by vacuuming. Additional vacuum samples were taken in 15 randomly selected St. Augustinegrass lawns. The big-eyed bug, Geocoris uliginosus Say, was the most frequent and abundant big-eyed bug found at the infestations. Data showed that big-eyed bugs (Geocoris spp.) were highly aggregated at chinch bug infestations. Furthermore, there was a significant positive correlation between numbers of chinch bugs and big-eyed bugs at chinch bug infestations showing that big-eyed bugs had a numerical predator response to increasing chinch bug populations.