The story of the lovebug is not a very long one but they sure do make a mess of things the short time they are here.

The lovebug is a part of the march flies family. Also called the honeymoon fly, kissingbug, or double-headed bug, the adult lovebug can be found all along the Gulf Coast, usually twice per year on average.

Adult pairs can remain 'stuck together' even in flight, for a few days during and after mating.

Groups of lovebug flights can reach sizes in the hundreds of thousands.  Two major flights occur each year, first in late spring, then again in late summer.  Flights extend over periods of four to five weeks.  Mating takes place almost immediately after emergence of the females. Adult females live only three to four days, while males live a little longer.  Unless they are both hit in mid flight by a Buick.

The lovebug was first observed in Texas and Louisiana during the 1940's but eventually spread to the entire gulf coast region. Lucky Florida can at times experience three lovebug seasons.

If you wanted to know what good lovebugs were, from Wikipedia:

Immature lovebugs larvae feed on partially decayed vegetation in the landscape and, in this respect, are beneficial. Adults feed only on nectar during this brief life stage.

Lovebugs can't bite or sting, which is a great thing considering how much they swarm, but because of the thousands of them flying around, they sure can mess up a car's paint job due to their slightly acidic body chemistry.  Lovebugs baking on a car in South Louisiana heat can permanently damage the paint in just 36 hours.

[Via:  Wikipedia]

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