The other day, my friend asked if I was going to write an article on all the love bugs. I told her I wasn’t, and that I didn’t know anything about them.
The subject stuck with me, just as they were sticking to my windshield. It sounded like rain. So, sticking to my word, I’m writing an article about love bugs.
Natives of Central America, they migrated naturally here and are partial to the South, appearing mostly during the spring months of April and May, as well as the August and September area of fall.
Researchers say they have “synchronized, short-lived mating seasons,” and that they only live about three or four days. Their purpose is to mate and lay eggs.
They find their way to windshields by attraction to exhaust fumes from automobiles. Supposedly, it smells like decaying organic matter, where they like to lay eggs. They also like light and reflective surfaces, which is why they seem to be attracted to light colors. That means white vehicles with plenty of exhaust is the party they all want to attend, and they’re just dying to get there.
They are like the hippies of the insect world. They do not bite or sting, and people seem to look the other way when millions of them gather for their festivals. They also act as recyclers, feeding on decaying plants and helping to break down organic matter to enrich the soil.
They have no natural enemy, and in fact, are slightly toxic to birds and spiders. Despite the name, they are not actually bugs, and instead a type of march fly. The name, of course, comes from flying in pairs while mating, which can last for days.
Though they will not harm people, they can be a nuisance. They can also be harmful to your automobile once they suicide bomb your front end.
That splatter of guts can damage a vehicle’s clear coat. Once they have fried in the sun, the leftovers become more difficult to remove.
Scared after learning this, I spent an hour scrubbing painted areas. Love bugs don’t fly very well, and I have two vehicles that illustrate this fact. After finishing, it was learned the cleaning is much easier after placing a wet towel over bug remains for 10 minutes. I wasn’t charged for the additional exercise.
Early morning and late afternoon is when they are most active. You know, the times when everyone needs to drive.
Those who hope to repel can find citrus scents of lemon and orange, or others like rosemary and vinegar. Windows and doors can be sprayed with a mixture of any of these plus water to keep most away. Rain also clears many of them out.
My friend said she had always heard swarms of love bugs mean big storms are on their way. While both are influenced by warm, humid conditions, there is no connection.
Actually, big storms would wipe many of them out. Until then, it will likely rain love bugs for the next few weeks.
