Twice a year - each May and September, we Floridians get to experience that “oh so lovely” love bug season. Generally seen flying around in pairs, locked in an amorous embrace, these slow-moving creatures happen upon us these seasons for about an estimated four weeks, according to theUniversity of Florida.
While these bugs are harmless (they don’t bite or sting) they can be quite a nuisance. Here are a few things to remember about these little critters as they begin their invasion this month:
Where they come from – If you grew up in Florida, or have lived here long enough, you’re bound to hear the urban legend that the University of Florida crossbred a ladybug and a fly to create love bugs to combat mosquitos. Unfortunately, as with most urban legends, it’s simply not true.UF saysthe bugs migrated here all on their own from Central America, via Texas and Louisiana before making their way to the Sunshine State.
What attracts them – Love bugs are attracted to heat, freshly painted surfaces and surfaces that are light-colored. This means you’ll find them near your garage door a lot and around the outside of your house if it’s painted a light color.
How to combat them - Here’s where it gets tricky. UF says that chemical pesticides do little to deter these little bugs. You might try tiki torches, citronella candles or mosquito repellent, but the only sure-fire way of avoiding them is by being inside and away from them.
A retractable screen on your garage door and lanai allow you to enjoy the outside air without the “not so easy to love” bugs getting in your hair, tickling your face, and continually landing on your skin.
In the end, the best way to deal with love bugs is to leave them alone. They will go away within a week, then return next Spring.
FAQs
Make a DIY love bug repellent by mixing 3 tablespoons of mouthwash and 3 tablespoons of citrus dish soap into 1 cup of water. Use a spray bottle to apply on plants, walls, and any other affected areas. Use fans to deter flying love bugs and a vacuum to physically remove them.
What kills Florida love bugs? ›
Create a lovebug spray that contains 1 cup of water, 3 tablespoons of citrus dish soap and 3 tablespoons of mouthwash. Spray on plants, walls, and any affected areas. Use a drier sheet with soap and water and rub on parts of the car where there is a love bug graveyard.
How long does lovebug season last in Central Florida? ›
Lovebugs have made Florida their home because they thrive in warm, humid climates — commonly on the Gulf Coast. Many times these flies are seen in swarms, most commonly during their two specific mating seasons–once in the spring (April to May), and then again in the late summer (August to September).
What color attracts love bugs? ›
Also, lovebugs are visually attracted to light colored objects, especially white. The flies are most active between about 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. They are not active at night and are not attracted to electric lights.
What attracts love bugs to your house? ›
What attracts them – Love bugs are attracted to heat, freshly painted surfaces and surfaces that are light-colored. This means you'll find them near your garage door a lot and around the outside of your house if it's painted a light color.
What smell do love bugs hate? ›
Use a homemade deterrent
All you need is a little citrus-scented dish soap mixed with water, and you're good to go. Like mosquitos, love bugs hate the smell of lemons and will go out of their way to avoid it.
How to trap lovebugs? ›
Pineapples have a bit of acidity, as does apple cider vinegar which might explain why these two substances attracted quite a bit of love bugs as well. Coca-Cola as the best trapping substance made the most sense as it was extremely sweet and had a kick of acidity to it.
What is the lifespan of a love bug? ›
Under laboratory conditions, male lovebugs live for about 92 hours, whereas females live up to 72 hours. In nature, the adults live just long enough to mate, feed, disperse and deposit a batch of eggs — about three to four days.
What eats love bugs in Florida? ›
While lovebugs are not a favored food of most insectivores due to their acidic taste, lovebug larvae—and some adults—are food for birds such as quail and robins. Arthropod predators include spiders, some predatory insects such as earwigs, at least two species of beetle larvae, and centipedes.
What do bugs hate the most? ›
Bugs hate the smells associated with repellency, such as lavender, citronella, vinegar, peppermint, and geranium. These oils are considered a natural way of driving away bugs from your home without harming you, your family, and other animals.
Love bugs are like maggots in the way that a female love bug will plant her eggs, anywhere from 100-350 eggs, into the soil. Once these eggs have hatched, generally 2-5 days depending on flight season, the larva consumes the detritus around them.
Where do love bugs go at night? ›
Lovebug swarms typically only happen during daylight hours and temperatures above 68 degrees Fahrenheit. At night, they rest on plants.
What purpose do love bugs serve? ›
By feeding on partly decayed vegetation, lovebugs' larvae actually serve a beneficial purpose. Acting as nature's decomposers, the larvae help to recycle organic matter such as dead leaves and grass, particularly in moist habitats like bayous, swamps, and roadside ditches.
What does it mean when love bugs are stuck together? ›
Lovebugs are often seen in pairs or "stuck" together because they're mating. An adult love bug only lives for three to four days, and those days are mostly filled with mating. Unfortunately, lovebugs are here to stay. May marks the mating season for the nuisance bugs, and it lasts four weeks.
What are Florida love bugs attracted to? ›
Lovebugs are attracted to irradiated exhaust fumes from cars, lawnmowers and other engines (they're similar to decomposing plant debris) and to heat. Males swarm over places where they know females will soon emerge.
What brings love bugs? ›
He said researchers have found that automobile exhaust fumes, heat from the engines and the vibrations of the vehicles themselves all attract lovebugs that splatter against the fronts of cars. The results can be nasty, causing cars to overheat, reducing driver visibility and damaging paint on vehicles.
