Love bugs

[Floridamouse]

I know some have asked in the past about the love bugs.

Well they are here in full force. I live about 1 1/2 hour drive from DW and every day I have to wash my car to get rid of those love critters.

 

[EEYOREMAMA]

That's Florida. May and September -- the romance months. I always have a scrubby pad and a towel handy. I have a fresh coat of polish, so I am armed for the romantic little buggers. I just wish they weren't so damaging. I think they're cute.

 

[Floridamouse]

What part of Florida do you live in Eeyoremama?

 

[Karnak]

The bugs have not seemed as bad as usual here in Tallahassee. We have been wondering why, but happy to see the decline.

 

[JKW]

How long do the little buggers hang around? Will they still be there next week? Are they annoying? I guess I have never been around these before. I did see on another post what they look like. I wasn't too concerned about them then but now I have turned into a maniac. We are taking my dh parents for their 2nd trip. Their first trip was about 30yrs ago. I am so nervous. See even bugs are bugging me now....................

Paranoia...............

 

[maelstrom]

Which bugs are love bugs? Palmetto bugs? I hate bugs of all kinds. I must have seen these ones, though. I've been to WDW every month of the year except October, November, and April.

 

[Floridamouse]

Love bugs are passive lovemaking bugs. You will see the male and female attached and flying around. They are just annoying driving. When they hit your car they make a mess. They have something in their umm.. splat that will ruin your paint if you do not wash them off.

 

[skater]

Since we have been going down almost every Sept., love bugs are almost a tradition for us. It almost wouldn't be Disney without them Of course we don't have to worry about the paint on our car being damaged - I might feel differently about them if we had to deal with that!

 

[anewvance]

We don't have them down here in South Florida. So they were a little shocking when we were there this past weekend. I've experianced them before but it seemed like we were being overtaken by them this time. One CM told us they are the worst for 2 weeks in May and 2 weeks in Sept.... it was almost comical.

 

[safetymom]

We were in Daytona yesterday and they are much worse than here in Orlando. Although the other day my house was covered in love bugs. They seem much worse this time.

 

[EEYOREMAMA]

What part of Florida do you live in Eeyoremama?

Right on the beautiful Gulf Coast -- just north of Hudson and South of Spring Hill. We live in an area such a small area, that we are practically off the radar.
Just a little blip on the map with a lot of love bugs.

 

[ryanally]

Will bug repellant help at all? We hated them a few years ago as they stuck to everything. My kids at bug-phobic(wonder where they get that ) and will freak if a bunch of bugs sit on them constantly. We leave in 2 days!!!

 

[Rhongepooh]

Thankfully we've seen SOME here in Mississippi but not NEAR as bad as we've had them before. They were TERRIBLE last year after the storm. I guess cause we had to stay outside so much to stay cool and couldn't get rid of them.

 

[EEYOREMAMA]

Will bug repellant help at all? We hated them a few years ago as they stuck to everything. My kids at bug-phobic(wonder where they get that ) and will freak if a bunch of bugs sit on them constantly. We leave in 2 days!!!

Sorry. Haven't found one yet they don't like. Love bugs love everything and everyone. They tickle when they land, so hopefully you're not ticklish. They really are cute, just not on paint.

 

[scottb8888]

So no one has really said when they taper off and go away? We are driving down on 9/29. Will we still see them?

 

[jwfla422]

Haven't been to WDW in Sept in a few years, totally forgot about those little guys. I think they love to congregate on the FL turnpike too. Luckily my car is silver now instead of white! I remember having to stop at the carwash once we made it up there to wash them off my bumper. Will make sure to load on that coat of wax anyway (and RainX). Thanks for the "heads-up"!

We haven't seen them much down here, I think they seem to like the more "inland" areas these days. BTW-they are harmless (it's actually in the "fly" family), I'd take lovebugs over palmetto bugs or biting bugs anyday!! Don't know if bug repellent will help or not, but it would help with mosquitos!

For more info on the check out: Love Bug 101 They are probably average 1/4" in size but there are usually 2 attached together...