Hate Lovebugs? Here's How To Deal With Them

TAMPA BAY, FL -- They don't suck blood, leave itchy welts on your skin, spread the Zika virus or give pets heart worms like mosquitoes.

In fact, the insect that Floridians call the lovebug is basically benign -- except for the fact that they swarm your face every time you walk outside and splatter their guts all over car.

They make their appearance in Florida each May and September and spend about four weeks mating in pairs, thus the nickname.

They are most active between 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. when temperatures are 84 degrees and up.

According to the University of Florida Extension Service, lovebugs are attracted to decomposing plant debris but may confuse these odors with the chemicals in exhaust fumes, which is why they congregate around highways and often end up on our windshields and engine grills.

Identifiable by its black, slender body and red thorax, the lovebug is actually a species of fly in the family Bibionidae. There are two known species of lovebugs in the United States. One is a native species, and the other is an invasive species that first appeared in southern Louisiana during the 1920s. The outbreak soon spread southward, crossing deep into Mississippi and Alabama, and finally reaching Florida in 1947. They have since migrated northward, reaching from Georgia to South Carolina.

Unfortunately, chemical controls are ineffective against this critter that's truly earned the title "pest."

During the past several years, the lovebug invasions has been slightly reduced by predators. Apparently, they make a tasty snack for robins and quail. And their larvae are a favorite delicacy of armadillos. Other insects including beetles also enjoy snacking on lovebugs.

Dealing with lovebugs

* Travel at night or at lower speeds to reduce the amount of lovebug guts on your windshield and front bumper.

* A screen placed in the front of the car grill will keep the radiator fins from clogging and protect the car's finish.

* Spattered bugs should be washed off the car as soon as possible so they don't damage the car's finish. Also, keep your car waxed. When the remains are left on an unwaxed car for several days, the finish can be permanently damaged. Some people spread a light film of baby oil over the front of the hood, grill and bumper to make it easier to remove lovebug guts.

* A hood air deflector or screen will reduce the number of spattered lovebugs on your car.

For more tips, visit the extension website.

Video shot by Christner Brothers in a Sarasota neighborhood

Image via UF Extension