Key takeaways
- Florida has two main lovebug flights a year, April-May and August-September, each lasting about four weeks.
- South Florida populations peak slightly earlier because of the heat, and a minor December flight has been recorded here.
- Adult lovebugs live only about 3 to 4 days in nature and fly only in daylight.
- Lovebugs do not bite, sting or carry disease, but their remains can etch car paint if baked in the sun for a day or two.
- UF/IFAS does not recommend insecticides for lovebugs; screens, fans, car wax and quick washing work better.
In this article
Lovebug season in Florida comes twice a year: a spring flight in April and May and a late-summer flight in August and September, each lasting about four weeks, according to UF/IFAS. In South Florida the peaks come slightly earlier because of the heat, and researchers have even recorded a small flight here in December.
During those weeks, clouds of paired-up black flies drift across roads, coat windshields and gather on light-colored walls and cars. They are harmless to people, but they can be hard on your car’s finish. Here is what drives lovebug season, how long it lasts and the simplest ways to protect your vehicle and home.
What Are Lovebugs?
Lovebugs (Plecia nearctica) are small flies, not beetles or bugs. UF/IFAS describes them as dull, velvety black flies with a red top on the thorax. Males are about 6 to 7 mm long and females slightly larger, at 6 to 9 mm. Their name comes from the way males and females fly attached end to end, sometimes for days.
They are relative newcomers to Florida. The species was described in 1940 from Galveston, Texas, and was first collected in Florida in 1949 in Escambia County, the westernmost county in the Panhandle. It became established across North Florida in the late 1960s, produced explosive populations in the 1970s and is now found throughout the state. The popular story that University of Florida scientists released lovebugs is a myth, as UF/IFAS explains: research began only after they had already arrived.
Lovebugs are not all bad news. Their larvae feed on decaying plant material in moist soil and help recycle it into organic matter.
When Is Lovebug Season in Florida?
UF/IFAS describes two main generations each year in Florida, each flying for about four weeks. Adults have been collected in every month except November, but the big flights are predictable.
Source: UF/IFAS EDIS (IN204, IN694)
A few details matter for South Florida:
- Earlier peaks. UF/IFAS notes that populations peak slightly earlier in southern Florida because of higher temperatures.
- Most adults still emerge in April. Researchers who recorded the minor December peak in South Florida found that most adults here still emerge in spring.
- Uneven outbreaks. Some areas get heavy flights while others nearby see few. UF/IFAS says locations 20 to 30 miles apart can have very different numbers, which produces yearly hotspots.
Each generation takes months to develop underground. UF/IFAS says larvae of the winter generation take about 240 days to develop and those of the summer generation about 120 days, because larvae grow faster in warm weather.
Need help with pests in South Florida?
Toro Pest Management has protected homes and businesses since 1969. Get a free inspection and $25 off your first service, backed by our 110% Satisfaction Guarantee: if the pests come back, so do we, at no extra cost.
Why Some Lovebug Seasons Are Worse Than Others
Lovebug numbers depend on conditions for the larvae. They need moisture, partially decayed plant material and suitable soil temperatures, and the largest populations develop in grassy habitats such as bahiagrass, pastures and roadsides. UF/IFAS notes that populations fluctuate with annual rainfall and natural enemies, and that land-use changes such as the expansion of pastures likely helped lovebugs spread and increase in past decades.
The long-term trend is good news: UF/IFAS reports that lovebug numbers have declined over the past 30 years. For the bigger picture of why insects of all kinds surge in the hot months, see why there are more bugs in the summer.
When Does Lovebug Season End?
Each flight winds down after about four weeks, because individual adults live only briefly. UF/IFAS puts adult life at about 3 to 4 days in nature, just long enough to mate, feed, disperse and lay eggs. A female lays an average of about 350 eggs under decaying vegetation, and the next generation stays in the soil as larvae and pupae until the following flight. If you want to know why the males die so quickly, read why male lovebugs die after mating.
What Time of Day Lovebugs Fly
Lovebugs are active only in daylight and do not fly at night. UF/IFAS reports morning swarms peaking around 10 to 11 a.m., a slower period in the afternoon and a second swarm in the early evening before pairs settle on vegetation overnight. Our article on what time of day lovebugs come out breaks the daily schedule down hour by hour, which helps if you want to plan drives or outdoor work around the swarms.
Are Lovebugs Harmful?
To people and pets, no. UF/IFAS states that lovebugs do not bite, sting, transmit disease or carry poison. The trouble is all about vehicles and nuisance:
- Paint. Smashed lovebugs leave their body contents, especially eggs, on the car. UF/IFAS found that the residue turns more acidic within 24 hours, dropping from a pH of about 6.5 to about 4.25. In indoor tests it caused no paint damage after 21 days, but long exposure to sun can damage the finish.
- Visibility. Splattered insects smear across windshields.
- Overheating. Dead lovebugs can clog radiators and cause liquid-cooled engines to overheat.
- Nuisance. Swarms gather on light-colored and freshly painted surfaces, porches, pool screens and storefronts.
How to Protect Your Car During Lovebug Season
| Step | Why it helps | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Wax the front of the car before the season | Makes residue easier to remove | UF/IFAS IN694 |
| Wash off lovebugs within 24 hours | Damage is avoided if residue is cleaned before the sun bakes it for a day or two | UF/IFAS IN694 |
| Soak the area with water for about 5 minutes, then scrub | Removes most lovebugs without harming paint when done promptly | UF/IFAS IN204 |
| Use a front screen or bug screen | Catches flies before they reach the radiator and paint | UF/IFAS IN204 |
| Add a hood air deflector | Reduces spattering on the hood and windshield | UF/IFAS IN204 |
| Check the radiator grille after long drives | Packed insects can make engines overheat | UF/IFAS IN204 |
Keeping Lovebugs Away From Your Home
You cannot stop a lovebug flight, but you can keep them out of your space:
- Screen windows and doors, especially on the windward side, and screen decks and pools where possible.
- Run the air conditioning. UF/IFAS notes that keeping a building under positive pressure with the AC fan helps keep lovebugs out.
- Vacuum the few that get inside instead of swatting them on walls.
- Use an outdoor fan near patios and work areas, which UF/IFAS suggests to keep lovebugs away while you are outside.
UF/IFAS advises against insecticides for lovebugs. They are costly, can harm people and pets, do not last because more lovebugs drift in, and can kill beneficial insects. More practical options are in the best ways to get rid of lovebugs.
Lovebugs or Something Worse?
Spring is also swarm season for other insects, so it pays to look twice. Lovebugs are black flies with a red thorax that usually fly in attached pairs and only in daylight. If you find winged insects indoors around lights in the evening, piles of shed wings on windowsills or swarms coming from inside a wall, they are not lovebugs, and they may be termite swarmers. Our termite guide shows what to look for, and other small flies indoors are covered in our fly guide.
Lovebugs do not need pest control, but mystery swarms do need identification. Toro’s on-staff entomologists and trained technicians can tell you what you are dealing with during a free inspection. For year-round protection from the pests that do invade homes, see Toro’s residential pest control, and businesses can ask about commercial pest control. Toro has protected South Florida since 1969 across Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and the Keys.
Contact Toro today
A free inspection & $25 off your first service
A trained Toro technician inspects your home or business, explains what was found and gives you a clear plan and quote, backed by our 110% Satisfaction Guarantee.
305-594-4767Frequently Asked Questions
How long does lovebug season last in Florida?
Did the University of Florida create lovebugs?
Are lovebugs harmful to people or pets?
Why are lovebugs attracted to cars?
Why are there fewer lovebugs than there used to be?
Sources
- Lovebug Plecia nearctica Hardy (Insecta: Diptera: Bibionidae), UF/IFAS Extension
- Living with Lovebugs, UF/IFAS Extension
- Lovebugs in Florida, UF/IFAS Extension
Educational content. This article is for general information about pests in South Florida and is not medical, legal or professional advice. If you have a bite, sting or allergic reaction, contact your doctor; in an emergency, call 911. Pest problems vary from home to home, so a licensed professional should inspect before treatment. When using any pesticide, always read and follow the product label.
