Lovebugs are a common sight in Florida and they can be an annoyance to anyone who has them. They look like little flying ants and usually appear during the summertime. This article will provide information on what lovebugs are, how to get rid of them, and where they come from!

What Are Lovebugs?

Lovebugs are flies that look like beetles that have a shiny, rounded black body with red markings. They feed primarily on carrion and decaying animal matter but can also be seen feeding off of plants. The males fly during the day while females tend to stay grounded or use their wings for short flights only.

Lovebugs in Florida are generally 6-9 millimeters in length and spend about half their life as larvae and the other half as adult flies. They have relatively short life cycles, but since female lovebugs can lay 200+ eggs at a time, they reproduce quite quickly.

Thankfully, although they are quite a nuisance, they aren't dangerous to your family or pets.

Where Are Lovebugs Commonly Found?

Lovebugs in Florida are generally found near the Gulf Coast. Some lovebug species, such as Plecia nearctica, have been known to migrate from Central America and Mexico into Texas, Louisiana, and Florida where they breed when it is warm enough for them to survive. They are most commonly found in the Southern United States because of the warmer more tropical climate which allows them to survive and reproduce much easier.

Lovebugs are most active during their mating seasons, with the first being in the second half of spring - April - May, and then the second being at the end of summer - August to September.

In fact, this migrating behavior has caused many issues with pest control because Lovebugs have really become quite a bit more prevalent in the past 10 years than they have prior.

Why Are Lovebugs A Hazard?:

Visibility While Driving: If you have ever driven in a car during the time of lovebug swarming, then it is very likely that your windshield has been covered with them. This can be both an annoyance and hazard to drivers because they will cover up the details and vision for driving - making it incredibly difficult to see while driving. Every year there are countless car accidents caused because lovebugs limited visibility.
Damage To Your Car: Although lovebugs are quite small they can actually cause damage to your car's engine as well as your car's paint. When you're driving and you splatter lovebugs, if not properly cleaned off they can actually cause your paint to eventually fade and chip, which can lead to rust. Along with this, they can actually make their way into the hood of your car and disrupt engine airflow.
They Can Invade Your Home: If you have an area of your home with higher humidity, such as your basement or crawlspace, this can attract lovebugs to take over and use it as their new home.

How To Get Rid Of Lovebugs:

There are a few steps you can take to help get rid of lovebugs from your home.

The first step to getting rid of these annoying pests is making sure you have no flowers planted near your foundation as this will attract lovebugs into an area where they don't belong and just make more problems. You should also go around trimming back bushes so there's less foliage surrounding your home which attracts them. Similar to termites, you should plan on not having any vegetation within at least 12 inches of your foundation to ensure that insects don't have a home near your foundation and eventually transition to your home.

You should also focus on reducing the humidity in your home and your basement to make your home a less attractive place for lovebugs looking for a warm and humid place to reproduce.

Final Thoughts On Lovebugs In Florida:

Although lovebugs can be extremely annoying to any Florida citizen, thankfully they only have a lifespan of a few days, so generally, they will die out on their own.

That means you'll have to understand that lovebugs will be bad for a few weeks every year, but after that, they shouldn't be too much of an issue.

If you need help with any kind of pests, then ensure you ask about our pest control in Coral Springs or surrounding areas!