Love Bugs EWWWW!!!

[DAniece]

We saw them for the first time last September (into the first of October). When we got home, I looked them up on Wikipedia AND surprise surprise, the photo of the love bugs was from a bus stop at Coronado Springs! (AND the photo was made in September 2006!).

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

 

[andrews1]

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/love_among_bugs.html

You can see a pic of them here the third bugs down.

Oh dear lord!!!!! How big are they??? They look like they'd be fairly large (obviously not as big as in the photo). I'm gonna DIE!!!!

 

[disneydreamin-gang]

We stayed at CSR. They were worse at the pool and bus stops. One day we were relaxing in a hammock and the care takers were cutting grass. Needless to say we could not relax for long. The little bugs rose from the ground in one big black mass. We had thought they were about gone until that.
On the other hand we never saw one at the parks.

 

[dizneyrules]

When we there last year Sept 16-23rd, they were there the entire time. I think they were the worst at the waterparks and the bus stops but encountered them at the parks as well. They are disgusting!

 

[DAniece]

Oh dear lord!!!!! How big are they??? They look like they'd be fairly large (obviously not as big as in the photo). I'm gonna DIE!!!!

The wikipedia page says that the males are about 1 cm and the females about 2 cm. In our experience, when "stuck together" they're about 1/2 inch long (which doesn't make sense since that's less than 2 cm).

They cannot bite. They cannot sting.

They are annoying as heck. We found that Off Skintastic - sprayed on us & our towels & the ground around us "helped" when we were sitting at an umbrella table @ POFQ last September.


They're supposedly attracted to WHITE. I'm going to make a mental note to not wear WHITE when sitting at the pool tables reading (only 36 days from now!)....

EG

 

[EpcotLove]

I never noticed them that much at the parks... but def at the bus stops and pool...... I swear if they try to mess up my vacation I will #$&#*$&# them up.

 

[Lynne M]

Oh dear lord!!!!! How big are they??? They look like they'd be fairly large (obviously not as big as in the photo). I'm gonna DIE!!!!

They're about the size of a firefly (lightning bug).

Again, they are absolutely, completely, utterly harmless. They have nothing to bite or sting you with. To them, you are just another surface to land on momentarily, no different than a bench or the sidewalk. Just brush them off and you'll be fine.

 

[wdw4us2]

There's no need to be worried about these bugs! Yes, they're annoying but they absolutely do not harm you in any way. Your vehicle, yes, but not people.

The bugs tend to show up only during daylight and are at their worst in the hottest part of the day - usually between 11:30 - 3 p.m. This is the reason they're attracted to the Disney buses, the heat near the back of the buses attracts them.

When we were at WDW this past May, we were waiting for the bus at the CR. A family with two kids (under 10) were beseiged by the bugs. The parents were waving their arms and yelling and really making a production. I calmly tried to explain that if they just sat still the bugs would leave them alone. I kept assuring the little girl that they would not sting or bite her and showed her one crawling on my arm. After that, she calmed down while her mother was still hysterical.

I hope everything works out for your wedding!

 

[the Fidge]

Well I think they must like the free dining and don't read the disboard or they would have made ressie's> No wonder they are out and about! They didn't make any ADR's!

 

[Eeyore's My Favorite]

They're supposedly attracted to WHITE. I'm going to make a mental note to not wear WHITE when sitting at the pool tables reading (only 36 days from now!)....EG

Those pesky lovebugs are attracted to anything - doesn't really matter what color you have on they stick to everything and anything. As a Florida resident for 50+ years you just learn to live with them & you learn to clean them off your car very quickly & very carefully otherwise they damage your paint job.

Enjoy your trips & don't worry about the lovebugs!!

 

[Luv2trav]

The bugs tend to show up only during daylight and are at their worst in the hottest part of the day - usually between 11:30 - 3 p.m. This is the reason they're attracted to the Disney buses, the heat near the back of the buses attracts them.


QUOTE]

I agree with this. We were there at the end of May this year and it was the worst we have experienced. What I noticed is they are the worst from 11-3ish... AND I noticed there were really bad around plants or flowers. Epcot had the Flower and Garden show so we seem to run into the most around these areas...

They really are not THAT bad... I am HATE HATE bugs and I could tolerate them.

 

[izzy]

In another related thread, someone posted that the love bugs were horrible last January. I've never heard of them being out in January, only September and May. Anyone else run into them in January before? (Can you tell I'm going to be at WDW in January?!)

 

[DisneyBride'03]

I would rather be swatting at lovebugs than hunkering down in my room for an imminent hurricane! If these liitle pesty things are the worst of it...I will deal! It rained on my wedding day, so that was annoying!! lol

 

[Mr. Stitch]

There is no way to avoid the bugs in Sept. We were there last year for free dining and will be back soon. They are just there. The only way to possibly avoid them would be to stay indoors. But who would do that in WDW?? I remember one bus stop blanketed in the bugs. It was impossible to walk around the stop without squishing bugs. Too bad. :^( You get used to them unless they fly in your face?!?

 

[KMLOVESWDW]

We were there in mid-sept a few years ago & don't remember having any. We also usually go in early May & haven't seen one in a couple years. We have seen them though. Annoying yes, terrifying no

 

[Suzanne74]

Okay - I was there last year the 3rd week of Aug, the year before the last week of Sept and the year before that the first week of Sept. I have yet to see them. Not that I am complaining!!

 

[disney_family_1247]

We laughed so hard when we went to WDW last year! We live in southern Louisiana, so love bugs are part of life. They are totally harmless and don't even scare the baby, but we saw people everywhere freaking out about them. Folks were squishing the poor little things and acting like they were covered in spiders. Meanwhile, we were making sure we didn't sit on any or accidentally hurt them in any way. You could totally tell who was from the south and who wasn't .

I'm not making light of your issue, but I say get married and visit when you want and don't worry about the bugs. You'll be gazing into each other's eyes anyway, so you won't notice them...

 

[yrdlyprincess]

Ok, this is the 1st that I am hearing about them!! I think that I am a little grossed out!! But ok, do I need like bug spray, do they get into the rooms?? do they bite?? Both of my children are freaked by bugs, flies, bees--things that can fly!! I hope that they are gone but 9/20 so they can get it all cleaned up by the time that I get there!

 

[disney_family_1247]

They are TOTALLY harmless. They are small and black and don't bite. There can sometimes be a lot of them around at once, though, so you may want to discuss it with your kids before you go. We were there last year for the last week of September and they were out in full force.

 

[MNWDWMANIAC]

Info found online:

Love bug larvae grow up in grassy areas and feed on dead vegetation. The adult love bug does not eat, but subsists solely on the food taken in during its larval stage. Upon reaching maturity the love bug spends the entirety of its life copulating with its mate, hence its numerous romantic nicknames. The male and female attach themselves at the rear of the abdomen and remain that way at all times, even in flight. In fact, after mating, the male dies and is dragged around by the female until she lays her eggs. Females lay up to 350 eggs in debris, and about 20 days later the eggs hatch into larvae. The larvae may live for months before passing into adulthood.

They don't bite . When i was growing up in Fl it did suck though with having to wash them off the cars. They tend to mess up paint etc if you don't get them off rapidly.

Here are a few pics online I found too. The second picture was listed as a "Disney" bus stop. You get a getter idea of the real size by seeing that picture.