Love Bugs?

[soupy1012]

Hi can anyone who lives in Orlando or recently visited tell me if Love Bug season has begun yet? Reports say April/May. We are coming there 1st week of May and wondering how severe the nuisance will be?

Thanks!

 

[myladyisatramp]

I know friends that were there last Memorial Day and said they were everywhere.

 

[soupy1012]

yes, they mate 2x a year spring and fall. thanks

 

[skipperkim]

I believe they are normally there late May. They are bothersome, but don't bite.

 

[mickey mouse lover]

We have been there the first week of May for the last two years and we didn't see any love bugs. Now we did see some when we went the last week of September this past year.

 

[wdwdancerwannabe]

uhm......what are love bugs?

(i know i'm not the only one wondering!! I just have the guts to ask!)

 

[soupy1012]

a small flying insect common to the southern United States, especially along the Gulf Coast. During the semi-annual love bug flights or "seasons", the insects are commonly found spattered on the hoods and windshields of automobiles. The body of the love bug is acidic and can affect the paint on vehicles if not washed off. 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. Love bug flights can number in the hundreds of thousands. The slow, drifting movement of the insects is almost reminiscent of snow fall. The flights occur twice each year, first in late spring, then again in late summer. The spring flight occurs during late April and May. The summer flight occurs during late August and September. Flights extend over periods of 4 to 5 weeks.

 

[Ames]

We usually go the weekend over Mother's Day and they are present but nothing like they were last year! We went towards Memorial Day and Oh My Goodness! Forget about poolside relaxation, they were everywhere.

 

[safetymom]

Nothing yet.

 

[rodkenrich]

.

 

[Mommy2Corinne]

We went May 5-10 last year and they were EVERYWHERE! My dd (3.5 at the time) noticed that they were always "stuck together". Instead of giving my little one a premature biology lesson, we told her that they were dancing.

 

[10_Kyle_10]

We went last year in the second week of October and saw very few of them. The last day of our trip October 13th they seemed to be picking up their duties as we saw more and more. I think they are usually gone the end of sept but because of all the rain and winds last september i think it delayed the process.

 

[ElizabethB]

They were there in force the last week of September '07. So plentiful, we couldn't use our balcony at SSR.

 

[aaronandterri]

never noticed themn in sept but last may/ june, they were everywhere, hoping well miss that pleasure this time lol

 

[cheerforchelsea]

Just back last week from Daytona - driving back up I-75 there were no love bugs.

 

[mom2aredhead]

Last may, they were bad. I could not believe how DISGUSTING the fronts of cars/buses were. By the time we drove from the airport to AKL, we could not see out of the windshield in our rental car because they were squished all over the place and there was no washer fluid!

They were a bit bothersome by the pool and on the AKL balcony, but nothing that would honestly prevent me from going back the same time of year.

 

[disneymom0104]

That's so funny- we were there the first week of May last year and I don't even remember them at all! At least not enough to be bothersome

 

[DaveClan]

I was at All Star Sports last May and the lovebugs were everywhere. Annoying......

 

[mom2aredhead]

That's so funny- we were there the first week of May last year and I don't even remember them at all! At least not enough to be bothersome

We were there about 2 weeks later - YUCK!

 

[shyjade]

They were there in force the last week of September '07. So plentiful, we couldn't use our balcony at SSR.

I'll second that! Only we were staying at the AKL and would literally hear them crunch under our feet when we tried to go onto the balcony, so we stopped trying. Yet they still managed to creep into our room (not a lot, but a few). Yuk!