Love Bugs do they ruin a vacation?

[wedance6]

I've seen many threads stating how bad the lovebugs are in Sept., however I've also seen many not even mention that as a problem. We are going mid sept. this year and really want to know if it will impact our fun, like sitting around the parks, pool, etc.? I've been in Sept., and May one time before, and do not recall such a problem. Wasps and Mosquitos must be something more annoying, then lovebugs. Who would want to be stung all the time. Thanks for your help.

 

[Mr. Malaprop]

I've been during lovebug season several times and it's never interfered with my fun. Now driving through a swarm of 'em on the highway -- that's going to interfere with your windshield and the front of your car. Yuck!

 

[minnie61650]

Love bugs are just a little annoyance.
As you said they don't bite.
When we went last September they were quite heavy so I would think there will not be as many this year.

I am headed back this September.

The shorter lines for the rides and attractions make September one of favorite times to go to Disney in spite of a few love bugs .

Have fun at Disney!

 

[daannzzz]

I have been in May many times and the Love Bugs have been non existant to there being quite a few. This video is form someones trip this last September I beleive. I heard it was pretty bad and saw quite a few stills of them as well. I don't think this would stop me from going, just laying out at the pool!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=3ktlDyj0NDk

 

[suzimar57]

they don't bite - it's just that they're everywhere - this past september it was really bad - there were so many of them on those white benches by the busses, you couldn't sit - more annoying than anything

 

[kribit]

Did the lovebugs ruin our vacation? Absolutely not. Could they if you don't like bugs? They could.

Yes, they are pesky creatures that don't bite, but there were definately rides we couldn't go on because the rides were infested with them. We also didn't use the pools or go to the water parks because you couldn't sit on a lounge chair without them being on you.

All that said, I definately wouldn't cancel a trip due to the lovebug season. We would work around them.

 

[DznyLvr2005]

they didn't ruin our vacation, but they are annoying little things!!!
We were there Sept last year and we coudln't even get out of the swimming pool without like 10 of em flying on my wet legs and arms.. GROSS!! They are so annoying, but they won't ruin any Disney fun!

 

[twinspluscade]

I've seen many threads stating how bad the lovebugs are in Sept., however I've also seen many not even mention that as a problem. We are going mid sept. this year and really want to know if it will impact our fun, like sitting around the parks, pool, etc.? I've been in Sept., and May one time before, and do not recall such a problem. Wasps and Mosquitos must be something more annoying, then lovebugs. Who would want to be stung all the time. Thanks for your help.

We were there last year Sept 9-14. There was always a cluster of them around our hotel room door. Otherwise I didn't really notice them. Maybe they got worse towards the end of the month

 

[Clotho]

I guess we got lucky when we went in 2004. Going between two big hurricanes musta blown 'em all off n' away!

 

[TJA]

Well they didn't ruin our trip last October, but let me tell you, they were quite annoying. We stayed at BC and tried to eat lunch outside at the tables and we had to throw our lunch away because swarms of love bugs flew all around and on our food. They were all over the chairs at the pool and swarms on people's beach bags, etc. It was gross. But NO it did not ruin our trip. We tried the best we could to ignore them but sometimes it was impossible. We didn't notice them as bad in the parks.

 

[castleri]

We were there Sept 19-29 last year and there were days that they were just everywhere on everything. The stairs to the train on main street were black with them alive and dead. They didn't ruin our trip but we spent a lot of time swatting them off arms and legs. We will be there again Sept 19-26 this year and I do hope they are fewer.than last year.

 

[disnut8]

We go every year for Memorial Day. May is love bug season. One time we didn't see that many of them. We were so totally disappointed. To us, they make a Disney trip in May and September. We went two weekends ago. We think they were starting out then. Just single ones. We were very happy.

 

[rodkenrich]

The only issue that I have succumbed to when facing Lovebugs is because airborne love bugs are drawn in enormous numbers to roadways, they die en masse on automobile windshields, hoods, and radiator grills. If left for more than an hour or two, the remains become dried and extremely difficult to remove, and their acidity pits and etches automotive paint and chrome.

 

[Threehearts]

Laying by the pool and being covered with bugs, biting or not, isn't what I call a vacation. We wouldn't go again during the lovebug season. Susan

 

[LukenDC]

I went to WDW this past September during love bug season. Their presence certainly did not diminish my fun. The love bugs were a nuisance outside of Crystal Palace at MK, but other than that they really did not bother me.

 

[nbodyhome]

I've lived here for 23 years, and the only time I've found them bothersome is swarming around the car on occasion. There are other areas of Florida where they seem much worse.

The seagulls are what you have to watch out for!

 

[coastermom]

OK here is a silly question but what the heck are love bugs??? Maybe it is just that we are from NYC but I have never heard of them . We always go in the summer and haven't had any bug problems in WDW now we have seen some lizards and frogs but not too many bugs.

 

[PrincessV]

I also live in West Central FL and I have to say, I've never seen them as bad as that YouTube video! Wondering if Orlando got hit with a particularly bad season that year. (?)

I will also echo this: if you're driving, take the time to get them OFF your car before they dry. I drove through the Everglades one May and the grill of my car was absolutely plastered with them. Didn't wash it for a few days (once parked in Key West, you don't give up that space!), and it took a chisel to remove them. Ruined the front of my car.

 

[2forMe]

Man.. whendoes the season end in the fall. I had planned on going the end of sept... but would serioulsy reconsider.. I want to be able to be out by the pool with no swarms of bugs getting me and my family.. ick!!

 

[minnie61650]

OK here is a silly question but what the heck are love bugs??? Maybe it is just that we are from NYC but I have never heard of them . We always go in the summer and haven't had any bug problems in WDW now we have seen some lizards and frogs but not too many bugs.

From this wesite:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_bug

The love bug (also known as lovebug, march fly, honeymoon fly, telephone bug, kissybug and double-headed bug) (scientific name Plecia nearctica) is a small flying insect common to the southern United States, especially along the Gulf Coast. It is most often known as a serious nuisance to motorists.

It was first described in 1940 by D. E. Hardy of Galveston, Texas. At that time, he reported the incidence of love bugs to be widespread, but most common in Texas and Louisiana. By the end of the 20th century, however, it had spread heavily to all areas bordering the Gulf of Mexico, as well as Georgia, South Carolina, Florida, and other parts of Central America. L. A. Hetrick, writing in 1970, found it very widespread in Florida and described its flights as reaching altitudes of 300 m to 450 m and extending several kilometers over the Gulf.




Photos of love bugs:

Bugs at BC