Sept & Love Bugs

[pinkerbell]

We go every year end of Sept - Oct and are usually at the tail end. This yr we are going mid Sept and I am wondering if there is anything you can do to kep them away, do they dislike cetian smells or colors?

Am I correct that the end of Sept is peak for LB's

I kow they are harmless, but they seem to love our DD's stroller and it is so hard to tell a child to just ignore them

thanks

 

[buffettgirl]

also late april/may. You might miss them entirely mid sept.

they are so gross, I just found this picture from Disney (on wikipedia)

 

[tjknitz]

This may or may not help you....when we went back in 2009, we went the week after Labor Day...Not 1 Love Bug in sight!

 

[jimmysmom74]

Lovebugs are hit or miss. Some years they are horrible, others unnoticeable. I am pretty sure they love white. shirts, cars, everything white. Hope it helps!

 

[NikitaZee]

I agree it's really a hit or miss situation. We had our trip planned for 9/24 - 10/3 this year, and I spent a lot of time on Google looking up love bugs and our time frame. We have one child who is extremely shy about bugs, and I couldn't find any real answers as to the timing from year to year. Basically, any time in Sept. is fair game, with mid to late being the usual peak. I didn't want to take the chance of being there in the thick of it, so we re-scheduled for mid-November. Good luck to you!

 

[pinkerbell]

we are there Sept 15 to Oct 2 usually we go last couple of day in Sept to mid Oct. Last year they seemed to be there our first day and almost disappeared the next! it was amazing. Since we usually hit them at the begining of our trip and they are gone by the end I am thinking we'll see them, but it is good to know that some yrs are not as bad as others.. maybe this will be a light year

 

[srutko1226]

We were there once years ago without the kids. I honestly don't remember if it was spring or fall. We knew nothing about love bugs.

We decided to rent a convertable and the first light we stopped at had us covered in them. We were freaked.

We stayed at CSR and if we sat at the main pool bar, our backs were covered. The door to our room would be covered every time we came back to the room.

Since it is their mating season I believe, they are often "flying united".

Someone told me it was worse when the palmetto (sp) came out. To me they look like roaches. I never saw them in Florida but I was in Nevada once when they were everywhere. We were staying outside of Vegas near the river and they had just finished a biker convention. The vibrations from the many motorcycles caused them to come out.

 

[momtoejanda]

we were there last september and I remember being concerned about them but I dont remember if we saw any or not. So they couldnt have been that bad!

 

[suzyqn]

we are there Sept 15 to Oct 2 usually we go last couple of day in Sept to mid Oct. Last year they seemed to be there our first day and almost disappeared the next! it was amazing. Since we usually hit them at the begining of our trip and they are gone by the end I am thinking we'll see them, but it is good to know that some yrs are not as bad as others.. maybe this will be a light year

It is funny you should say this because this past year they were the worst I ever saw in this part of Central Florida. On Oct. 1st they went poof! Overnight they were almost completely gone.

OP - They do love light colors. I have never learned of a way to keep them away. I find them more annoying when they die all over the place.

Hoping that this spring there will be fewer.

 

[chiamarie]

You just never know when they'll hit.

Their spring time, they've already made debuts. I've seen quite a few around already.

 

[Ro Z]

Just back from March 2-9 and the love bugs were in full force! I did notice they liked our white shirts, which we all had on 1 day! They just bounce off you and annoy! Thank Goodness they don't biteLast year the same week we didn't see any but it was cooler?! The only other time I have encountered them was in Sept. so I was suprised to see them in March.

 

[Microcell]

Out of 5 trips in mid September only once were the lovebugs really noticible.

 

[disnut8]

As others have said, there's really nothing to deter the lovebugs. They are harmless. And while it might be difficult for your daughter to ignore them, it might also be a great teaching tool to let her know that most things are here for a reason. Maybe do a bit of research with her online about lovebugs.

I did that with my granddaughter for a May trip and she knew enough to leave them alone. They weren't going to harm her so why she should bother with them? Are they distracting? Yes but once my granddaughter knew they were harmless, she thought they were kind of funny (she was five at the time).

 

[Jonesloonybin]

I had heard of the love bugs in Sept., but did not realize that they were out in May too! Are they really bad? We will be there the first week and a half in May.

I read the post that they were bad at the beginning of March this year, do you think they will be gone by May?

Thanks
Terri

 

[RebeccaB]

We usually go in Sept, and as pp have stated, they're hit or miss. Either you see a ton of em, or rarely at all. They do seem to love to be wherever there is water, on our one May trip they were all over around the pool. Actually, my daughter looks forward to spotting Lovebugs, she says it's part of what makes our trips special and how she can tell we are in Florida.

 

[pinkerbell]

As others have said, there's really nothing to deter the lovebugs. They are harmless. And while it might be difficult for your daughter to ignore them, it might also be a great teaching tool to let her know that most things are here for a reason. Maybe do a bit of research with her online about lovebugs.

I did that with my granddaughter for a May trip and she knew enough to leave them alone. They weren't going to harm her so why she should bother with them? Are they distracting? Yes but once my granddaughter knew they were harmless, she thought they were kind of funny (she was five at the time).

such a good idea.. wiki here I come!

We usually go in Sept, and as pp have stated, they're hit or miss. Either you see a ton of em, or rarely at all. They do seem to love to be wherever there is water, on our one May trip they were all over around the pool. Actually, my daughter looks forward to spotting Lovebugs, she says it's part of what makes our trips special and how she can tell we are in Florida.

ahh make it a game...love it!