Hot spots vs chinch bugs. It’s a subtle but important distinction to make! If you see a brown patch in your yard and start watering thinking it’s from drought, that could cause problems if it’s actually from chinch bugs. Damage from chinch bugs starts out as small brown spots that grow over time. You might notice a lot of crickets and spiders around the area as they feed on the chinch bugs. Those are just a few ways to identify what’s going on, but you can always reach out to a professional if you’re unsure.