Love bugs - what is their season & worst resort with them?

[pooh2001]

I was told they were brought in as a predator to Mosquitos, however the love bugs had no predator and became out of control. Not sure how true this is though. I was told not to kill them though or they will be more attracted to you If you have their scent on you, again not sure how true this is. I ended up drinking one last trip through my straw when I toke a sip of soda out of my refillable mug. I knew I drank something I opened my lid and it was full of love bugs. Going down the waterslides was also a problem you needed to keep your mouth and eyes closed...lol!

EEEK

 

[TDC Nala]

I was told they were brought in as a predator to Mosquitos, however the love bugs had no predator and became out of control. Not sure how true this is though. I was told not to kill them though or they will be more attracted to you If you have their scent on you, again not sure how true this is.

Don't think either is true. Lovebugs don't eat other bugs. The larvae eat decaying plant material, and the adults, which live only a few days, eat only nectar. They woudn't have any value as a predator since they are vegetarians.

You can't chase them away or use anything chemical to drive them away. And you won't find that any one resort is more immune to them than any other.

Their body chemistry is acidic, so if you leave them on your car they may damage the paint and chrome. They're not harmful to humans or animals.

Took a cruise on the Fantasy last September and before it left port, the ship was covered in lovebugs. They had been miraculously removed while at sea.

 

[fla4fun]

They can arrive anytime between late April and early June, as well as late August to early October. They last about six weeks, with the middle two weeks being the worst quantity wise. There's no way to know in advance how big the swarm will be. Some years it's very light in May and heavy in September, other years it's the opposite, and sometimes you get them light or heavy both times. There's nothing to repel them with, but they don't hurt you. They're just annoying (and annoying to have to give the car a bath EVERY day, lol!). I took a trip to the beach in May a couple years ago, and woke up to my sliding doors completely covered in lovebugs (couldn't see through it). I have had similar experiences at WDW in September.

They seem to be attracted to light colors, especially white. I was at WDW the last week of September a few years ago, and it was a very heavy lovebug year. Anything white, like benches at bus stops, or the river boat in MK, were just covered with them.

Unfortunately, if you travel in May or September, you just have to factor in the risk of clouds of lovebugs.

 

[sibesx2]

We just got back from our trip. I did not find them too bad at the parks or POR. However on the drive there and back we hit a couple of bad patches of them and had to stop to clean the windshield. Yuck! I'll be taking the car to be washed today! I don't know why anyone would kill them on purpose. They are annoying but they won't hurt you.

 

[disnut8]

So how do you get rid of lovebugs?

For stink bugs up here in the north, I use raspberry air fresheners.
I put the raspberry air fresheners in the attic and in the garage.
It seems to keep them out of our home in the Spring and Fall.
Plus it is not a bad smell when we enter the garage.

Do lovebugs not like some sort of natural items?

You can actually whack them. Screaming and trying to outrun them does no good no matter how many people try that method. Although it's fairly entertaining to other humans.

 

[jcjen519]

we just got back. they were out but not a big deal. once they were all over chairs at the pool but gone quickly. (gf beach) another time at magic kingdom i had to get 2 out of my sons hair before he noticed (checking in at bog). i dont know how it works but last year we were there a week earlier this month and no bugs.

 

[DisneyDmbNut]

I was there Sunday and they are out..not terrible, but there was a few in the parks and on the road.

 

[Freezing Cold B]

We are here right now... what's a lovebug? I've not seen anything but mosquitos. And, there are a lot of them. Well, and we saw some centepede looking bugs too. Those were in our room.

ETA:

Okay... found them. Well, they actually found me. They landed on my computer as I was playing around on Disboards. I googled them because I was curious what was going on, and it looks like it is lovebugs.

 

[poohangel]

We left Florida on Sept. 13 and the lovebugs were getting bad as we were leaving.

 

[pooh2001]

Sounds like if when we visit WDW again it will be in Early April or late October to avoid those love bugs.

I just have to have Renuzit Raspberry air fresheners in my house for the northern stink bugs - which really do stink if you squish one.
If I find one in my house - I capture it, live, in a zip lock plastic sandwich bag and throw it away in the garbage. I do not care if my garbage can outside my house stinks.
Now I am starting to like the frost in the north. It kills all nasty bugs.

 

[kapoof]

We are here now and honestly we have just seen a few here and there...not a big deal at all.