Sitting on my back porch this past weekend was a chore.
I was instantly attacked by hundreds of flying insects called lovebugs.
I was definitely not feeling the love of these little critters however.
That made me start to wonder, why are these things here?
What is the meaning behind this annoying little fly and do they do anything for our environment?
Lovebugs were not seen in North America until 1940 but have greatly expanded their range since then.
Lovebugs first appeared in Florida 50 years ago but now occur naturally from Florida to Texas.
These little guys are dubbed the name “lovebugs” because of their mating techniques.
They mate in-flight and are considered no threat to the environment or people.
They may clog up a radiator or litter your porches but will not bite or sting.
Lovebugs are considered a cross between a maggot and a fly.
The female plants her eggs in moist soil, and when hatched, she will consume the detritus that surrounds them.
When the weather warms up, they emerge from a pupal stage and fly, causing the problem that is consuming our location now.
But they will not fly at night.
They usually become an issue twice a year.
Once in May and then in September right before winter.
Many older people say that lovebugs are a sign of winter and this proves to be a fact.
They will only live long enough to eat nectar, copulate, lay eggs and die.
So, in a few weeks they will all be gone until next May.
With their death comes winter.
Until that time, they will continue to be attracted to cars, blacktop roads, and certain colors.
It is also important to note that they can damage car paint if they are left too long.
Certain products are available at auto parts stores to remove their bodies from your front grills but until they are gone, they will continue to torment us all.