The Annoying Love Bug Question...again

[kribit]

Hi all,

We visited WDW this past September and the lovebugs were terrible..Animal Kingdom was the absolute worst - they were stuck in our hair, etc... We are headed down in May and I understand it is again Lovebug season.

We still managed to have the best vacation, but the pesky creatures were also at the pool(s) (they were infested). We're planning on splurging a few nights at a luxury resort and I don't want to spend the extra money if we are not going to be able to use the pool (I'm personally not a resort pool person, but I'd like for my family to be able to enjoy them).

Anyone go in Sept and May that can offer a comparison. Someone mentioned that last season the bugs were exceptionally bad. As a matter of fact, we've been in September for several trips and I never recall seeing them at all.

 

[ruzer28]

I was there the first week in May last year and there were no lovebugs at all, so maybe you can steer clear of them this May. I was also there the last week in September into the first week of October this year and as you know, they were absolutely everywhere. This is the second time I have gone that week in the fall, and there were no lovebugs at all the first year I went at that time. It seems as though the season is only approximate, so it's tough to plan. I agree that they can ruin your time at a nice resort. We were at the Beach Club in September, and Stormlong Bay was barely worth it with the swarms everywhere. Like you, we made the best of it, but it's depressing to stay someplace nice and not be able to really enjoy the pool area. Good luck!

 

[GreyStr0ke]

I was there in August and the only place they were really bad was AK as you mentioned. I was waitng to get on a bus back to our resort and could swipe my hand through the air and catch about 10 at once.

 

[Ilovemyprincesses]

Can you do anything to keep them away from you. My DD will freak if there are bug around her.

 

[kribit]

Honestly, both my kids were fine with the lovebugs. They are really harmless and you don't even know if they've landed on you. If you look at the picture they show on Wikipedia, it will scare you if you have a serious aversion to bugs, but for the most part they honestly didn't bother us. That one day in Animal Kingdom it was 100 degrees in the shade and there were tons of people. If it was cooler with less people we could have dealt with the bugs, but we couldn't even go on some of the rides because they were infested. There were dead squished bugs everywhere.

I think someone on here said they like exhaust ? and black or white (honestly can't remember which).

 

[DISNEY180]

Okay i am going to ask what are lovebugs. I don't remember seeing them or hearing about them before.

 

[tmarquez]

I've lived in Central Florida most of my life...so I'm pretty used to the lovebbugs...but...

DD and I went to MK last Monday and the lovebugs were REALLY bad. I don't even remember EVER seeing lovebugs in January before. I don't know if it's because it's been so warm or what, but it was gross.

I don't know what this early season will mean for May.

 

[lilallybean]

Okay i am going to ask what are lovebugs. I don't remember seeing them or hearing about them before.

Glad you asked! I was wanting to know the same thing! LOL...is this the same thing as a ladybug???

 

[kribit]

I've lived in Central Florida most of my life...so I'm pretty used to the lovebbugs...but...

DD and I went to MK last Monday and the lovebugs were REALLY bad. I don't even remember EVER seeing lovebugs in January before. I don't know if it's because it's been so warm or what, but it was gross.

I don't know what this early season will mean for May

Are you serious? Up until last weekend, it's been unseasonably warm up here as well. Guess I shouldn't plan my trip around lovebugs then.

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

yes, that picture of the infestation is taken at one of the WDW bus stops...looks pretty gross.

 

[NotUrsula]

Lovebugs are a species of fly, actually, Plecia nearctica. They are called Lovebugs because at the times when you see them, they will almost always be flying in pairs, mating in mid-air. They do this because the females only live for 2-3 days, and they have to make hay while the sun shines, so to speak. The weeks when you will see them are known as the "flights", and most often tend to occur at the turn from May/June, and again at the turn from Aug/Sept., though they have been known to be off by a week or two.

They are particularly attracted to two things: engine exhaust, and the color white. This is what makes them so common at WDW bus stops, which have a lot of white concrete and a nice plethora of diesel exhaust fumes. Their peak activity time is late morning, and they stop flying at dusk. They also won't fly if it is colder than 68F.

They are TOTALLY harmless, except to cars (more on that below.) They do not bite or sting, and when they walk on you they only tend to tickle a tiny bit. They don't harbor diseases, either. When I was a kid we thought they were cute, and used to catch them for fun.

If you drive in Florida (or anywhere in the South really) during a Lovebug flight, you need to protect the finish on your vehicle, and also screen your radiator to prevent getting the fan clogged. Lovebugs' bodies contain an enzyme that damages paint if you leave them squashed on your car for an extended period. You can either put a "bra" on the car, or you can do as the natives often do, and put a thick coat of paste wax on for the duration. Otherwise, you would probably need to wash it every two days during the flight to protect the paint. (Not necessary if the vehicle is just sitting still in a parking lot the whole time; the bugs need to be squashed to cause the problem.)

 

[Tink3Belle]

Thanks for the love bug education and times. We were there sept 18 - 24th and they were there the whole time last year. I hope to avoid them - so annoying.

 

[MamaKate]

We went during Memorial weekend last year and didn't see any.

When we went the last week of Sept. we saw them everywhere, but it didn't bother us after awhile. I thought my DD would freak because she doesn't like bugs, but she thought they were funny because they fly around attached to each other.

DD and I went to MK last Monday and the lovebugs were REALLY bad. I don't even remember EVER seeing lovebugs in January before. I don't know if it's because it's been so warm or what, but it was gross.

Wow! We will be there in a few weeks and I didn't think they would be around in the winter!!!

 

[Kimi313]

Are you serious? Up until last weekend, it's been unseasonably warm up here as well. Guess I shouldn't plan my trip around lovebugs then.

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

yes, that picture of the infestation is taken at one of the WDW bus stops...looks pretty gross.

I have been to DW in January, February, March, June, and July and thank God I have never seen these bugs in mass around the bus stop!

 

[disnut8]

Predicting whether the love bugs will be "bad" or not is like predicting a cat's behavor. You just don't know what the little buggers are going to do.

Personally, I don't plan my trips based on the love bugs. We're nature lovers and actually are disappointed if we go in May or September and they aren't out in abundance.

They are totally harmless, though.

 

[GreyStr0ke]

Even lovebugs love Disney World and they dont have to pay!!!

 

[Susan555]

We've always had love bugs seasonally in New Orleans as well - truthfully, it never occurred to me that people would find love bugs "gross" or bothersome (except to the paint job of your car). To me, they're like dragonflies or ladybugs - we enjoy seeing them and they've never bothered us at all.

If you've never been around lovebugs, don't worry so much. They're not like mosquitoes or houseflies or any other bothersome bug. They don't attack you, they're way too pre-occupied with baby-making

I definitely wouldn't change travel plans to avoid lovebugs - particularly when, as the other poster mentioned, you just never know when they'll appear.

 

[Ilovemyprincesses]

If I can't use the hotel pool and rides and bus stops are infested with them then yes they are bothering me. I have seen pictures of park benches covered in them. If it is like that on your trip it is affecting your trip.

 

[jjarman]

I will add in here that at least in South Mississippi the May/June lovebug season is not as bad as the August/September lovebug season. Some years we only see a few in May/June but always a lot in the later season. Go on in May and enjoy. It most likely won't be as bad as it was in September.

 

[DisneyWorldWisher]

They were terrible during our trip.

Espesically when I wore white in Animal Kingdom!

They were crawling all over me!

 

[Jenny]

i was in the parks this past sun-wed, 1/14-17 - i didn't notice them in epcot, ak or mgm but did notice them in MK - the park was covered w/ them on tues. i couldn't sit w/ my 2 y.o. on the benches to even relax - ridiculous. a CM told us that they were indeed love bugs & that they were the single males floating around - no females. she said that they were confused w/ the warm temps. i didn't see them on wed. w/ the cold front going through at MK so maybe they're gone already?