Paul and Stacy Jensen Family

Plecia americana/nearctica (Lovebugs)

Twice a year, residents of Florida are treated to the Love Bug season. In the spring we are invaded by P. americana, and in the fall by the P. nearctica variety. From all the old timers I've been able to talk to (I think I know four native Floridians), this is the worst Love Bug season yet.

Normally, the love bugs are quiet little larvae found in marshy bogs eating and decomposing what ever bits and pieces they come across. But when they mature and grow wings, they start to think of things amorous. The love bugs must find each other rather offensive because their mating habits are such that they face away from each other. I have only seen a couple of love bugs that are not attached to another. When they are stuck together, as seen in the picture above, the larger bug is the female and the smaller is the male. They fly in this formation, at the whim of the female, up to 400 meters in the air, but are primarily found along the roads and on automobile grilles.

This is a stock photo that really doesn't do justice to the amount of insect devastation that can occur on a simple drive through town. Love bugs have been known to clog radiators to the point of failure and completely obscuring vision through the windshield.

Because the little buggers are acidic, if left on the car paint too long, they will etch the finish. This means that my delivery drivers spend a good deal of this time of year cleaning their vans. There are a lot of old wives tales that deal with how to clean these pests from your vehicle. One of my employees soaks beach towels in hot water and lays them on his van, rotating them each hour for four hours before he scrubs them off. So far, I've been successful in driving fast through the rain to knock off the big lumps and the occasional gas station car wash to finish 'em off.

These pesky nuisances land on the playground equipment that Alayna plays on and get smashed as exhuberent children slide down the slides, adding love bug juice to the dirt and grime on their clothes. Luckily, love bugs are do not poke, bite, or sting. They are fairly benign, unlike the caterpillars.