As summer approaches in the Sunshine State, Floridians are once again welcoming an old seasonal visitor that seems to appear at the perfect moment to swarm around cars.
According to Central Florida Public Media, lovebugs originated in Yucatan in Mexico and migrated to the United States in 1949, eventually finding a warm home in Florida by the 1960s.
Dr. Deby Cassill, an associate professor in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of South Florida, said the small insects, which are often seen flying in pairs, have two main goals in life: survival and reproduction.
“She got the job of making good eggs with lots of food,” Cassill told "Florida Matters Live & Local." “All she needs from the male is — I call them sperm missiles — the little sperm that diversifies her eggs, gives her a second copy of her DNA.”
Plecia nearctica, the scientific name for lovebugs, relies on grass roots and dead leaves for food and reproduction. Once they mate, they live only up to five days.
“[Catepillars] live underground and they are really a compost processor, because what they do is they eat the dying and dead matter and produce manure,” Cassill said. “Manure is a wonderful fertilizer, so they really do help our grass grow.”
While searching for ideal places to lay eggs, lovebugs are often found near busy streets and highways. According to Cassill, they are attracted to what she described as “stinky roads,” the smells of oil, asphalt and organic matter.
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When flying near busy roads, lovebugs are frequently struck by cars, sometimes leaving drivers concerned about damage to their vehicle’s paint or clogged radiators.
“They have an acidic body, and if they smack up against your car, you would want to get them washed off immediately because the acid will eat through some paint,” Cassill said.
According to Ask IFAS, a website maintained by the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, modern vehicle paints are more resistant to the insects’ acidic body fluids. They also note that nylon screens can be purchased at automotive supply stores to help prevent radiator clogs.
Despite being a seasonal appearance, Cassill emphasized that lovebugs are harmless to humans.
“Their only job in life is to literally mate. They dine on nectar, not rather than the blood of other animals, like mosquitoes and they don't pass forward any diseases,” Cassill said.
Although their appearance signals that summer is approaching, some online discussions claim there has been an increase in lovebugs across Florida. Cassill said she does not believe that is the case.
“From my point of view, love is in the air,” Cassill said. “We think that the populations are not as high as they used to be in the late 90s and early aughts.”
This story was compiled from interviews conducted by Matthew Peddie for "Florida Matters Live & Local." You can listen to the full interview with Deby Cassill here.
