[OoAnd1]

I've lived in South Florida for almost 20 years and have dealt with all types of flying insects etc. I recently moved to Port St. Lucie and for the last 2 weeks I've noticed, what people have been calling LoveBugs all over the place. Is this prevalent in the entire state or just this area? And when do they finally die?

Anyone getting annoyed with them as much as me?

[Lisa_from_Debary]

I LOVE to sit out by the pool...except when you can't open your mouth to talk for fear of getting a love bug in your mouth...

when we first moved here, I didn't know what to tell my 5 year old when she asked why they were called love bugs...

[pslOldTimer]

Originally Posted by OoAnd1

I've lived in South Florida for almost 20 years and have dealt with all types of flying insects etc. I recently moved to Port St. Lucie and for the last 2 weeks I've noticed, what people have been calling LoveBugs all over the place. Is this prevalent in the entire state or just this area? And when do they finally die?

Anyone getting annoyed with them as much as me?

They pop up every May and September, hang around for about 4 weeks, and then go away. They've been doing it for more than 20 years. They are worse in some areas of the state, and they are worse in some years than others. They're really not bad at all in Port St. Lucie this year. Try driving across the state on SR 70 or driving up or down on US 27 near the center of the state. They even be worse or better in a stretch of a couple of miles. If you leave Okeechobee going West on SR 70, about 3 miles out you're hit an area that is almost black with them. That somewhat clears up in a couple of miles.

They are also more attracted to diesel fuel and asphalt. I know. I have a diesel tractor in that stretch of SR 70, and when I'm out on the property moving dirt or mowing, they hover around the tractor so thick that i don't dare open my mouth. They're also attracted to light, bright colors -- my daughter lives in Okeechobee and has a gloss white door -- at this time of year, they keep a can of flying insect spray on the railing of the deck so they can get inside without inundating the house.

While they serve absolutely no useful purpose, they are largely an annoyance -- they don't bite. They are acidic to car paint, however, and should be washed off promptly.

[Prichard]

You can get used to them. They are slow, don't bite, and don't hurt anything other than car paint if you don't wash them off within 24 hours (I know some say 48, but good luck if your car has been baking in the hot sun all day).

The only thing they are good for are reproducing - sort of reminds me of "tribbles", for all you Trekies out there. Nothing eats them that I'm aware of, and that's the problem. I don't know what they eat either, as they don't seem to do any plant damage, and they don't eat mosquito larve like they are supposed to, nor do they bite or suck blood.

[tallrick]

You never see them in the coastal areas, only inland- especially where there are large areas of grassy, humid ground. They don't seem like a major problem. I have seen lizards eat them, as well as toads suck them in.

[Prichard]

You never see them in the coastal areas, only inland-

Way wrong on this one, TallRick! I was in Cocoa Beach this last weekend and the beach was swarming with them - even out past the breakers!! You could see thousands of dead lovebugs lining the seashore where the waves pushed them up on the beach. There was a slight off-shore breeze that caused them to get pushed out on the beach and out to sea. However, Orlando had hardly any lovebugs - guess they all got pushed out over Cocoa. Heck, before this weekend, I would have been agreed with TallRick.

[tallrick]

Originally Posted by Prichard

Way wrong on this one, TallRick! I was in Cocoa Beach this last weekend and the beach was swarming with them - even out past the breakers!! You could see thousands of dead lovebugs lining the seashore where the waves pushed them up on the beach. There was a slight off-shore breeze that caused them to get pushed out on the beach and out to sea. However, Orlando had hardly any lovebugs - guess they all got pushed out over Cocoa. Heck, before this weekend, I would have been agreed with TallRick.

Must be the wind pushing them from the west. I have never seen any in the keys or in Miami.

[joylynn100]

Originally Posted by tallrick

You never see them in the coastal areas, only inland- especially where there are large areas of grassy, humid ground. They don't seem like a major problem. I have seen lizards eat them, as well as toads suck them in.

Wanna bet? I am in Ormond Beach and the darn things are just as bad here as inland.

[121804]

Everywhere in Punta Gorda...Today at the park...that is on Charlotte Harbor...which is on the coast...on everything. Been around for a good two weeks.

[pirate girl]

There seem to be less of them in my area this year than in prior swarming seasons- I live in Flagler County and there's been a wild fire burning about 15 miles from here for the last 2 1/2 weeks. I wonder if the smoke might have dones some damage to their larvae.

I also remember a rumor about lovebugs- that they were a Univ of Florida experiment that escaped????? I don't believe it's true but wondered if anyone else had heard that.