Hairy Chinch Bug

Hairy Chinch Bug

Blissus leucopterus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Boston

In 3 days ~10% in a week ~20%

5 Verified sightings at Boston
April Best month

About the Hairy Chinch Bug

Blissus leucopterus, also known as the true chinch bug, is a small North American insect in the order Hemiptera and family Blissidae. It is the most commonly encountered species of the genus Blissus, which are all known as chinch bugs. A closely related species is B. insularis, the southern chinch bug.

The name of the chinch bug is derived from the Spanish chinche, which refers to the bed bug and is in turn derived from the Latin cimex. The chinch bug is not related to the bed bug, but took this name on account of producing a similar smell to that of bed bugs when crushed.

These bugs tend to gather on sunny, open patches of turfgrass. Due to their small size, chinch bugs are hardly noticeable, so they become problems, since they are considered pests that feed on stems of turfgrass and grain crops.

B. leucopterus is about 4 mm (0.16 in) long when fully developed. The adults' bodies vary in colour from dark red to brown with white wings and red legs. Young nymphs are usually bright red and half the size of adults. A distinguishable feature is the white band found on the nymph's abdomen. This band will be covered with wings and changes colour to black during development... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Montreal 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%
2 Boston 🇺🇸 United States
<5%
3 Toronto 🇨🇦 Canada
<5%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Hairy Chinch Bug in Boston?

Rare

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Hairy Chinch Bug sighting in Boston on a given day, based on 5 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 1063rd most-seen of the 1200 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 10%, and over a week to about 20%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Hairy Chinch Bug in Boston?

Any time of year

In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Hairy Chinch Bug in Boston on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.

Is Boston the best place to see a Hairy Chinch Bug?

Among the best

Of the 3 cities where we can rate Hairy Chinch Bug sightings, Boston ranks 2nd at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Montreal (Canada, under 5%).

Which relatives of the Hairy Chinch Bug live in Boston?

Same order: Hemiptera

The closest relatives of the Hairy Chinch Bug that you can see in Boston (order Hemiptera, True Bugs, Hoppers, Aphids, and allies) are False Milkweed Bug (about 20%), Red-Banded Leafhopper (about 20%) and Oleander Aphid (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.

Where does the Hairy Chinch Bug sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Hairy Chinch Bug is recorded against all the insects logged in Boston (5 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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