BEWARE: First Love Bug Sighting!

[sophie832]

See, I didn't even know about these until reading this thread...glad we're going in December. We don't really have many large bugs in California, and definitely no bug "seasons". Even if I know they're harmless, I would still be grossed out! I've traveled to the South at different times of year before, and the bugs are one of the toughest parts.

 

[ILoveMyGirls]

they were all over the place when we were there. they were dropping on us in THAT position while we sat at the pool, at discovery cove, WDW, etc.

 

[snchpnz]

Big deal? Try saying that when you are eating outside and they are landing all over your food. Or when riding on a roller coaster and they are landing all over your legs and you cant swat them because the ride restraints wont let you. Ugh! What a horrible day that was! I don't mind them getting all over the car because I just fill up my windshield washer fluid and I take the car to the car wash when I get home but I HATE them inside the parks! I have never personally seen them in big numbers at Disney or Universal but they were all over the place when I went to Seaworld and Busch Gardens a few years back.

 

[mesaboy2]

Still not gonna get me all worried about 'em. Eat inside if they're an issue for you, and I can't think of any Disney coasters anyway where they would get all over your legs. If I could magically shoo away swarms of people, mind you, I'd do that. They are worse: they jump in lines, ram their strollers, flash their cameras on dark rides, and steal parade viewing spots.

By people I mean everyone but all you fine folks on the DISboards, of course.

 

[snchpnz]

If I could magically shoo away swarms of people, mind you, I'd do that.

Don't we all wish! LOL, but back to the Lovebugs. Try finding a table anywhere inside when there is a lovebug infestation going on outside. It is either wait 3 hours for a table, eat the food with bug parts in it, leave the park or just starve. I chose to starve that particular day and it only made me crankier. Also, about the bugs on the coasters. Notice I said I hadn't seen them in larger numbers at Disney or Universal. I've seen them flying around but they have never been a problem. It was at Seaworld where the bugs got all over me on the roller coaster.

 

[Pineapple Whip]

Don't we all wish! LOL, but back to the Lovebugs. Try finding a table anywhere inside when there is a lovebug infestation going on outside. It is either wait 3 hours for a table, eat the food with bug parts in it, leave the park or just starve. I chose to starve that particular day and it only made me crankier. Also, about the bugs on the coasters. Notice I said I hadn't seen them in larger numbers at Disney or Universal. I've seen them flying around but they have never been a problem. It was at Seaworld where the bugs got all over me on the roller coaster.

Don't worry about it, they're already in your food. With the free dining, they needed to find some inexpensive proteins... well, let's just say there's a big vacuum attached to a blender, and with the right amount of water the paste forms shapes up real nice. Think of any additional ones landing on your burger as garnish.

As for the lovebug infestation adding capacity to the restaurants... well, lucky for you they attack in the off-season, so you won't have crowd issues, and you can eat indoors. If you cannot find a table, then I guess you'll need to stand. How do you find a table when the parks are crowded in June and everyone runs inside from the blistering heat?

Since they are attracted to heat and car exhaust (really) the closer you are to I-4 or heavily driven roads (sea world)... the more lovebugs in the area. They also eat whale crap. Disney is in the middle of a swamp, so you only need to worry about mosquitoes and plague.

 

[cloudy13006]

Call me crazy but I love the love bugs! I've only ever been to WDW in the spring and fall and we've always run into them while there. By now lovebugs are one of those WDW 'things' for us . They were a little creepy the first time we ran into them but now we're used to it. It's funny one of the first things my kids ask when I tell them we're going back is "will the love bugs be there again??" I think they'd be disappointed if they weren't

 

[MattMatts-Momma]

Maybe the bedbugs ate them.



I wonder how far north these things will go. It stands to reason that they will migrate, and I read a reference saying they've been spotted as far as North Carolina in 2006. They're annoying, but they sort of fascinate me after seeing them for the first time. It was like some sort of weird plague I had never seen or heard of.

Oh well, I guess I'll be washing the car quite a bit now.

I don't know, but usually around this time of year we have quite alot of them flying around. I have seen them practically covering the screens on my back porch in years past. They don't last very long and I have never seen them in our area in the spring.

 

[mousireid]

Several months ago for about three days it was horrible driving around they seem to attracted to gas fumes? There were SO MANY on the roads it was like a plague and my poor vehicle had quite a number of hitchikers. I found them annoying but harmless, accidental squishing was the worst of it (and having long hair meant a few tried to move in....get a room!)

 

[DisGirl23]

Why even squash them? You just wave your hand and they float elsewhere.

All the poor girl is trying to do is land on something. She has her boyfriend stuck to her in an uncomfortable manner, which is causing an unscheduled landing. As they float in very slowly at you, perform this elaborate procedure:

Step left or right. One step only.​

Picture two houseflies when they couple. Notice they drop out of the air suddenly. With lovebugs, the girl is a big girl and is able to glide the two of them down for a crash landing... but she can't steer much, then she can't shake the dude after that. Instead you see a bug that won't fly much, that looks like two flies butt-to-butt and realize that it is two flies...

Pretty funny really. They have no natural predator because they taste like acid, they etch paint and aluminum because they're acidic, they are drawn to heat and car exhaust, they hatch, play tiddlywinks, lay eggs and die, and do this every 6 months or so. So really they were just engineered by turtle wax so that you would detail your car in the spring and fall.

They really don't bother us much.
And besides, many people go to Disney for their honeymoon so why not love bugs?

 

[mesaboy2]

They just don't bother me, probably because I'm a lifelong Floridian who took them off my radar because they don't do anything worth getting bothered about. Well, maybe except for adorning the front of my car. See you in the parks!

 

[Feralpeg]

Well, they are definitely here! They were very thick today at DTD and at Epcot yesterday. They seem much thicker near water, but they are pretty much everywhere. I saw many cars covered in them.

 

[mesaboy2]

So I gotta know: did they impact your visit in any significant way? Did they change your eating habits, get all over you on roller coasters, or make your day horrible?

 

[ILoveMyGirls]

when we were there recently, they were out in full force. they are annoying but in no way ruined our trip.

 

[earthiejen]

We were there this past week and each day we would see a few more. Friday morning was awful waiting for the buses we seemed to be in the middle of a swarm of them. I am not exaggerating. It is just annoying. I hate the feeling of them crawling on my leg! We just keep batting them away, they don't hurt they are just a nuisance.

 

[Feralpeg]

So I gotta know: did they impact your visit in any significant way? Did they change your eating habits, get all over you on roller coasters, or make your day horrible?

We decided not to eat outside. Other than that, they are just a pain. The land on you and you have to bat them away.

I live in the area and was swarmed today while mowing my yard. Had to try not to inhale them. Yuck!

 

[Lou Holtz]

Should I carry bug spray with me to the parks?

 

[Feralpeg]

Should I carry bug spray with me to the parks?

Unfortunately, bug spray will not keep love bugs away. You just have to put up with them. Try not to wear white or very light colors. It attracts them.

 

[AliceinMaryland]

Well I can honestly say I'm breathing a sigh of relief because I thought Love Bugs was a cutesy name for **** Roaches LMAO!! I can sleep easy now! When we were in FL in 2002, beginning of October(I didn't see any Love Bugs), there was a huge **** roach on our kitchen floor. I didn't sleep the rest of the trip, I'm not kidding I had never seen one before, ever.

How big are these Love Bugs?

 

[AliceinMaryland]

OMG it bleeped out my word LOL! That's awesome!!