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Love Bugs Mating Season – What Nightmares are Made Of

by TerriAnn
Swarms of Love Bugs in Florida during mating season – dead bugs #nature #photography

Before we traveled to Orlando, I had read about ‘love bugs’. Apparently May is the peak of the mating season for these insects. They are referred to as ‘love bugs’ because during this season they actually fly around with their back ends stuck together. I have no idea what they are really called.

Swarms of Love Bugs in Florida during mating season #nature #photography

Attack of the Love Bugs

From what I understand, they are harmless. They do get irritating due to the sheer number of them. We didn’t notice them much in the are surrounding Disney World or near our hotel. It was only when we were on our way to the Kennedy Space Center that we had our first encounter with them. The following video was taken as we were crossing the bridge about 15 minutes from the Space Center. At this point the initial swarm had died down but, as you can hear, quite a number of them made contact with our windshield:

Aftermath of Encountering Love Bugs

When we got the Space Center, they were everywhere. All the other visitors were swatting them and squishing them like crazy. My daughter would run around screaming and I would just remind her to keep her mouth closed unless she felt like a like ‘love’ snack. Now we can say we know what ‘love bugs’ are. We’re so glad that we had a rental car and did not have to clean that mess up.

Swarms of Love Bugs in Florida during mating season – dead bugs #nature #photography

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10 comments

blueviolet May 31, 2011 - 11:59 am

Oh my gosh, that’s freaky to see so many of them! We used to get swarms of box elder bugs when I lived in Illinois. I had to keep gloves in my purse because they’d sit on the door handles of my house and I was afraid to touch them. lol

Cookies & Clogs June 1, 2011 - 12:28 pm

That’s horrible! When we were at the Space Center I was afraid to talk for fear one would fly in my mouth in that one second!

Alison May 31, 2011 - 12:26 pm

Ew that is kinda super gross! GAG! I don’t see them in NY! But when the locusts come out every how many years it’s gross. It’s a BZZZZZZ all summer long from them, than you find their empty shells all over the place. Ugh. Bugs.

Cookies & Clogs June 1, 2011 - 12:30 pm

Okay, that’s just nasty. That’s like walking around a bug graveyard! I guess I should appreciate that we don’t really much infestation in my area.

JoeyfromSC May 31, 2011 - 4:35 pm

WOW! my skin is crawling ha

I had never heard of them either!!

Cookies & Clogs June 1, 2011 - 12:32 pm

I actually took that picture when it landed on the bag I had on my lap. Eiuw! I had to keep reminding myself, “They’re harmless, they’re harmless, they’re harmless” so I would’t freak out!

JoeyfromSC June 1, 2011 - 12:35 pm

ohhhh LOL!!

Donna July 1, 2011 - 1:33 pm

That’s wild. Bugs don’t bother me, really… but that many of them would freak me out.

Rachel @ Rachel's Giveaways February 2, 2012 - 1:59 pm

I live a couple of hours from Orlando and it’s funny to see a visitor’s perspective on love bugs. I’ve never heard them called anything else besides love bugs, and luckily I’ve never seen a swarm like that either. We do have “love bug season” when you have to wash your car constantly as they get all over the windshield and can ruin your car’s paint job.

Cookies & Clogs February 3, 2012 - 2:24 pm

I think we were right in the middle of love bug season. They were everywhere. Even if what we experienced was not the norm, I sympathize with those that have to deal with cleaning smooshed buggies off all the time.

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