The Lovebug in Florida: Setting the Record Straight J. P. Cuda and N. C. Leppla

Adult Lovebugs on Flowers

Lovebugs were released by UF entomologists as part of an experiment that failed Lovebugs eat mosquitoes NOT!!! True or False?

Lovebugs were released by UF entomologists as part of an experiment that failed

Lovebugs eat mosquitoes

NOT!!!

Lovebugs are not bugs but flies Order Hemiptera- “True bugs” Order Diptera- “Flies” Family Bibionidae- March flies Lovebug has other names Honeymoon bug Plecia nearctica Hardy $@#%&@%$# !!!!!!! Did You Know ?

Lovebugs are not bugs but flies

Order Hemiptera- “True bugs”

Order Diptera- “Flies”

Family Bibionidae- March flies

Lovebug has other names

Honeymoon bug

Plecia nearctica Hardy

$@#%&@%$# !!!!!!!

Lovebugs are not native to the US Emigrated from Central America into Texas Lovebugs spread east along Gulf Coast Louisiana- 1920s Mississippi-1940- type locality Alabama- early 1940s ? South Carolina- 1975 Did You Know ?

Lovebugs are not native to the US

Emigrated from Central America into Texas

Lovebugs spread east along Gulf Coast

Louisiana- 1920s

Mississippi-1940- type locality

Alabama- early 1940s ?

South Carolina- 1975

Distribution of Lovebugs Map

Lovebugs did not appear in Florida until the late 1940s Lovebugs entered Florida from the Panhandle and eventually migrated southward Did You Know ?

Lovebugs did not appear in Florida until the late 1940s

Lovebugs entered Florida from the Panhandle and eventually migrated southward

Lovebug Invasion of Florida

Lovebug Invasion of Florida

Lovebug Invasion of Florida

Lovebug Invasion of Florida

Lovebug Invasion of Florida

Immature or larval stage of the lovebug is a maggot Did You Know ?

Immature or larval stage of the lovebug is a maggot

Lovebug larvae require several months to develop into adults Oct to April- Spring generation May to September- Fall generation Lovebug larvae are beneficial Recycle decaying organic matter Large numbers found under cow manure Did You Know ?

Lovebug larvae require several months to develop into adults

Oct to April- Spring generation

May to September- Fall generation

Lovebug larvae are beneficial

Recycle decaying organic matter

Large numbers found under cow manure

Female lovebugs larger than males Deposit ca. 350 eggs Adult lovebugs live only 3- 4 days Lovebugs separate on vegetation but not in flight or at night Male lovebug’s eyes 4X larger than the female’s Help locate potential mates Did You Know ?

Female lovebugs larger than males

Deposit ca. 350 eggs

Adult lovebugs live only 3- 4 days

Lovebugs separate on vegetation but not in flight or at night

Male lovebug’s eyes 4X larger than the female’s

Help locate potential mates

Mating begins when females fly into a swarm of hovering males between 8-10 AM or 4-5 PM Larger males near bottom of swarms have greater mating success Up to 8 males compete for 1 female Mating lasts up ca. 56 hrs (or until smashed by a vehicle) Did You Know ?

Mating begins when females fly into a swarm of hovering males between 8-10 AM or 4-5 PM

Larger males near bottom of swarms have greater mating success

Up to 8 males compete for 1 female

Mating lasts up ca. 56 hrs

(or until smashed by a vehicle)

Several factors contribute to the lovebug problem Improved pastures (thatch) & cattle production (manure) Reduction in annual burning of woodlands and leaf litter Banning of DDT for insect control in mid-1960s Did You Know ?

Several factors contribute to the lovebug problem

Improved pastures (thatch) & cattle production (manure)

Reduction in annual burning of woodlands and leaf litter

Banning of DDT for insect control in mid-1960s

Lovebug mating flights: Occur Apr-May & Aug-Sept Reach altitudes of 1500 ft Extend several miles over the Gulf of Mexico Cover 25% of Florida’s land area Occur between 10 AM & 4 PM at a temperature above 82 o F Did You Know ?

Lovebug mating flights:

Occur Apr-May & Aug-Sept

Reach altitudes of 1500 ft

Extend several miles over the Gulf of Mexico

Cover 25% of Florida’s land area

Occur between 10 AM & 4 PM at a temperature above 82 o F

Lovebug Flight Activity Leppla et al. (1974)

Lovebugs congregate at highway intersections, traffic lights, filling stations, and truck stops Are attracted to exhaust fumes (formaldehyde), hot engines, and vehicle vibrations Did You Know ?

Lovebugs congregate at highway intersections, traffic lights, filling stations, and truck stops

Are attracted to exhaust fumes (formaldehyde), hot engines, and vehicle vibrations

Lovebugs have natural enemies Birds eat larvae Spiders eat adults Humans (vehicles kill adults) Lovebugs are economically important Bees do not visit flowers infested with lovebugs Clog vehicle radiators, damage paint Did You Know ?

Lovebugs have natural enemies

Birds eat larvae

Spiders eat adults

Humans (vehicles kill adults)

Lovebugs are economically important

Bees do not visit flowers infested with lovebugs

Clog vehicle radiators, damage paint

Authors: J. P. Cuda and N. C. Leppla, IFAS University of Florida Images: Mike Sanford, University of Florida Detailed Information on the Lovebug is Available on the Featured Creatures Web Site http: //creatures.ifas.ufl.edu Entomology & Nematology Department Copyright University of Florida 2002 http: //entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu Acknowledgements

Authors: J. P. Cuda and N. C. Leppla, IFAS

University of Florida

Images: Mike Sanford, University of Florida

Detailed Information on the Lovebug is Available on the Featured Creatures Web Site

http: //creatures.ifas.ufl.edu

Entomology & Nematology Department Copyright University of Florida 2002

http: //entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu