Lovebugs
Lovebugs are what we term a "nuisance pest." They are
actually little flies related to gnats. They are a real bother but
do not bite, sting, poison or spread diseases. We have no effective
poisons or repellents but it is possible to minimize their effects
on your environment.
Lovebugs are poor fliers and can be kept out of your home by leaving your air-conditioning
fan on to create positive pressure. If a few lovebugs get in, use a vacuum cleaner to remove them. They aggregate when there
is a lack of wind. Obviously, have screens on your windows and keep doors closed
on the up wind side of your house. A fan can be used outside near a chair. Lovebugs
only fly during the day and are much less abundant in the early and late parts
of the day. This can help with driving. They are easy to clean off of vehicles
before they get baked on by the sun.
Lovebugs are abundant only for a few weeks each year, usually in May and September.
Although lovebugs exist all over the state, they can be abundant in some areas
and less common in others.
Lovebugs are not a UF experiment gone wrong. They migrated here from Central America.
You can learn more about lovebugs from our lovebug PowerPoint presentation.(4.86MB PowerPoint)
More about Lovebugs:
- Living with Lovebugs - Norm Leppla, EDIS
- Lovebugs in Florida - D.E. Short, EDIS
- Lovebug, Plecia nearctica Hardy - Featured Creatures, UF/IFAS
- "Florida: The Bug State" (2.12MB Word) - July 20, 2006 by propellar
- "Bugs leave behind sticky legacy" (1.3MB Word)- June 15, 2006 by The Alligator
- "Love is in the air" (1.9MB Word) - June 3, 2006 by The Sun
