Lovebugs mating in Florida - Florida Pest Control

Twice a year, no matter where you live in Florida, you can expect a swarm of lovebugs taking to the sky for weeks. They take over our yards and especially our streets, and although they aren’t harmful or dangerous, they become a nuisance for many of us. There are many rumors around about the origins of these bugs and the reasons why they’re here in Florida, but not many of us think about them when they’re zooming into our windshields and hoods on the road.

Florida Pest Control knows all about the real nature of lovebugs. Read on to learn more about them and their biannual swarms from our experts.

What is a Lovebug?

There is an urban legend that says that lovebugs are the result of a genetic experiment at the University of Florida gone wrong. Although this is fun to believe, lovebugs actually migrated from Central America and were first reported in the U.S. in the early 1900s. These are some of their characteristic features:

  • Lovebugs have black underbodies and legs with a red thorax and purple wings.
  • They swarm in large numbers in mid-spring and late summer. Their swarms can contain up to a million individual lovebugs.
  • While mating, lovebugs will remain attached to each other, back to back, for up to four days.

Lovebug Swarms

Lovebug swarms happen twice a year, once from late April to early May and once from late August to early September. At this time, you’ll see lovebugs take to the air, many of which are in the process of mating. When lovebugs pair up to mate, they remain attached to each other, tail to tail, for multiple days. This is where they get their name from.

Lovebugs have short lives, but a very quick and prolific reproductive turnaround. The female adult lovebug only lives for three or four days, but can lay anywhere from 100 to 350 eggs before dying. This keeps their swarm lasting for weeks.

What to Do About Lovebugs in Florida

Lovebugs’ acidic body composition makes for their nuisance status in many peoples’ eyes. When they fly into your car, their bodies can cause damage to your paint job or leave stains on your windows. The sheer volume of their swarms can also lead to a buildup of lovebugs clogging your radiator intake, leading to the vehicle overheating.

If there is a massive swarm of lovebugs by your house in Florida this year, you can count on your local pest control company to help. The technicians at Florida Pest Control are trained to use safe and efficient techniques to keep all kinds of pests off of our customers’ properties all across the state. For a free quote, contact us today!

All About Lovebugs: Origins of These Florida Pests Serving Central FL, Northern FL and the Panhandle

Gainesville | St. Augustine | Ocala | Crystal River | Palatka | Starke | Lake City | Jacksonville West | Jacksonville South

Tallahassee | Ft. Walton Beach | Pensacola | Panama City | Milton | Daytona Beach | Winter Haven | Orlando | Kissimmee | Tampa | Leesburg

Recommended Posts