CLAY COUNTY – Floridians are all too familiar with the lovebug, also known as a March fly, a small fly closely related to mosquitos and gnats. They have a slender black body and are easily identified by their bright red thorax. Lovebugs have two key outbreaks in population a year: once during April and May, then again in August and September. As we head into the first lovebug outbreak of the year, here are some thoughts to keep in mind about the pesky species that seems to serve only as a hindrance to Florida drivers.

Life cycle and environmental service

Female lovebugs lay between 100 and 350 eggs underneath debris and decaying vegetation. After about 20 days, the larvae hatch and feed on decaying plant material, acting as decomposers by converting vegetation into nutrients that can be used by growing plants. Once the larvae finish feeding and mature, they pupate, or become a pupa. A pupa is an insect in its inactive form between larva and adult. The pupal stage will only last about 7 to 9 days, then adult lovebugs will emerge to wreak havoc on the finish of cars.

Nuisance to drivers

Lovebugs are a considerable nuisance to drivers. The species congregate in immense numbers along highways and spatter across windshields and grills of passing cars. Windshields can become covered and obstruct vision of drivers, and flies can clog radiator fans, causing cars to overheat. The lovebug tissue will cause pitting of the car’s finish if it is not removed within a few days. The flies are also a considerable threat to fresh paint; individuals working in house construction through outbreaks of these flies should be cautious of lovebug swarms ruining a newly painted room.
Many insecticides have been tested for their effectiveness against lovebugs. While many kill the bugs easily, high populations of lovebugs make insecticides impractical. A vacuum cleaner can remove the insects from confined spaces like homes or vehicles.
Remove spattered lovebugs from cars as soon as possible to avoid permanent damage to your car’s finish. Soaking spattered insects for several minutes will help with removal. During lovebug outbreaks when the insects are numerous, some motorists spread a light film of baby oil over the front of the hood and on the grill and bumper to make cleaning the insects off a much simpler task.

Reduced lovebug flights

In recent years, both yearly outbreaks of lovebugs have been substantially reduced in North Florida. This reduction in the population is partly attributed to predators. Larvae aggregate in extremely high numbers in pastures and other grassy habitats, making them vulnerable to foraging birds, like robins and quail. Armadillos are also expected to be excellent predators of the species. Invertebrate predators also play a role in keeping populations down; earwigs, beetle larvae, and centipedes have all been found to predate lovebug larvae.