The insects \u2014 known scientifically as “Plecia nearctica” \u2014 are making a noticeable comeback, with drivers reporting heavy swarms along roadways and parking lots.<\/p>\n
TAMPA, Fla. \u2014 If it feels like lovebugs are everywhere throughout the Tampa Bay area this spring, you\u2019re not imagining it.<\/p>\n
After a few quieter years, the insects \u2014 known scientifically as “Plecia nearctica” \u2014 are making a noticeable comeback, with drivers reporting heavy swarms along roadways and parking lots.<\/p>\n
\u201cTons of love bugs,\u201d commuter Scott Wendt said.<\/p>\n
Lovebugs typically appear twice a year in Florida \u2014 in the spring and again in the fall.<\/p>\n
Experts say this season\u2019s surge is being driven by a combination of warm temperatures, rising humidity and enough moisture in the soil to support their development even amid ongoing drought conditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think for people who are not expecting it, it\u2019s a surprise,\u201d commuter Rick Henderson said. \u201cBut if you\u2019ve lived in Florida for a while, it is lovebug season.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adult lovebugs only live a few days \u2014 just long enough to mate, lay eggs and die \u2014 but during that brief window, they can become a widespread nuisance.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt goes in patches, but for a little while, it feels like it\u2019s raining love bug bugs,\u201d said commuter Drew Holweger, who added he\u2019s been \u201cpretty much getting a car wash every day.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite their numbers, lovebugs are not dangerous to humans. They don\u2019t bite or sting. But they can create hazards for drivers and cause costly damage to vehicles.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, I hate them. Absolutely. They destroy the paint on your car,\u201d Henderson said. \u201cI find no use for love bugs.\u201d<\/p>\n
Part of the problem is that lovebugs are naturally drawn to cars.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey are attracted to the exhaust from automobiles that is hit by ultraviolet light,\u201d said University of Florida entomologist Dr. Norman Leppla. \u201cAnd it changes into an attractant.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to exhaust, the insects are drawn to heat, vibrations and the height of moving vehicles, putting them directly in the path of windshields and grilles.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019ll ruin your paint,\u201d said Jason DeJesus of Woodie\u2019s Car Wash. \u201cNine times out of 10 you want to get them off, especially on the windshield.\u201d<\/p>\n
That\u2019s because once lovebugs hit a vehicle, the damage can begin quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cLove bugs damage paint after 24 hours, especially if it\u2019s baking in the sun,\u201d DeJesus said.<\/p>\n
Their remains contain acidic compounds that can etch into a car\u2019s clear coat and paint if not removed promptly.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you leave them on the paint, they will begin to penetrate and ruin the paint,\u201d Leppla added.<\/p>\n
To prevent damage, experts recommend washing lovebugs off as soon as possible \u2014 ideally within a day \u2014 and using gentle cleaning methods to avoid scratching the surface.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe second you get them on, take the time to get them off,\u201d DeJesus said. \u201cWhether it\u2019s in your driveway or coming to a wash.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some drivers say quick action has become routine.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs soon as I finish a trip, that\u2019s what I do,\u201d Henderson said. \u201cI take it to the wash and I get them off.\u201d<\/p>\n
Others are just hoping for relief.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know if there\u2019s any natural predators to them, but I hope there is,\u201d Holweger said.<\/p>\n
There is some good news: lovebug swarms typically last only a couple of weeks in any one area before fading.<\/p>\n
The bad news \u2014 they\u2019re expected to return again later this year during the fall season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The insects \u2014 known scientifically as “Plecia nearctica” \u2014 are making a noticeable comeback, with drivers reporting heavy…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":254647,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[135,137,136],"class_list":["post-254646","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-tampa","tag-tampa","tag-tampa-headlines","tag-tampa-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/254646","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=254646"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/254646\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/254647"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=254646"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=254646"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=254646"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}